N301MG

On July 9, 2005, at 1105 eastern daylight time a Schweizer 269C-1, N301MG, registered to MG Aviation Inc. as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, rolled over on its right side while taking off to a hover. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter received substantial damage. The airline transport rated pilot reported no injuries. The flight originated from Fairview Airport, Landrum, South Carolina, on July 9, 2005, at 1105.

The pilot stated he initially departed from Greenville, South Carolina and flew around the local area before landing at Landrum, South Carolina. Upon arrival , he made an approach to the sod area adjacent to runway 32. The pilot stated he was not aware of the fact that the sod area was wet and soft. He applied collective pitch abruptly as he was taking off to a hover. The left skid became airborne and the right skid remained on the ground. The helicopter rolled over on the right side before he could apply collective pitch and lateral cyclic. The pilot stated there were no anomalies with the airframe, flight controls, engine assembly, and accessories.

The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular 90-87, Helicopter Dynamic Roll Over states, "During normal or slope take offs and landings with same degree of bank angle or side drip with the skid/wheel on the ground, the bank angle or side drift can place the helicopter in a situation where it is pivoting (rolling) about a skid/wheel which is still in contact with the ground. When this happens, lateral cyclic control response becomes more sluggish and less effective than for a free hovering helicopter. Consequently if a roll rate is permitted to develop, a critical bank angle (the angle between the helicopter and the horizon) may be reached where roll can not be corrected, even with full lateral cyclic, and the helicopter will roll over onto its right side."