- Date
- April 1, 2023, 08:23 local (15:23 UTC)
- Place
- Elko, NV
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N462BARobinson Helicopter R44 II
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 106998
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient altitude and airspeed in gusting tailwind conditions that resulted in an unrecoverable descent and impact with terrain.
Findings · 5
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The purpose of the flight was aerial animal control. The pilot reported that while flying at about 30kts and 50 ft above the ground and during a sweeping turn to avoid the effects of an estimated 30 kt tailwind at low altitude, a strong wind gust occurred in the path of the tailwind, which led to an uncontrolled descent rate. Unable to arrest the descent rate, the pilot executed a run-on landing. Environmental conditions weakened the pilot’s depth perception, which resulted in a tail strike that sheared off the tail boom. The main rotor blades contacted the ground and the helicopter rolled on its side, substantially damaging the fuselage and tail boom. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N462BA
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44 II
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 12265
- Built
- 2008
- Airframe hours
- 4,077
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5, 245 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Elkhorn Aviation Inc, doing business as Baker Aircraft
- Registered owner
- Elkhorn Aviation Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 4, 2023
- Departed
- Elko, NV
- Destination
- Priv · Elko, NV
- Airport
- KEKO
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Handheld GPS, ADS-B
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 25
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 17, 2022
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 16 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- KEKO
- METAR
- KEKO 012256Z AUTO 25016G27KT 10SM BKN085 13/M05 A2994 RMK AO2 PK WND 22031/2223 SLP133 T01281050
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 20, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.3 MB in all.