N822U

Substantial
None

ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22 BETAS/N: 0917

Accident Details

Date
Saturday, October 24, 2009
NTSB Number
ERA10CA039
Location
Scranton, SC
Event ID
20091030X40336
Coordinates
33.903888, -79.683891
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the helicopter.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N822U
Make
ROBINSON HELICOPTER
Serial Number
0917
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1988
Model / ICAO
R22 BETAR22
Aircraft Type
Rotorcraft
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
V T WHITLOCK INC
Address
111 BOWEN ST
Status
Deregistered
City
LAKE CITY
State / Zip Code
SC 29560-2803
Country
United States

Analysis

The helicopter pilot stated that he had just completed the first leg of a three-stop cross country flight. After landing, he hover-taxied toward the runway and performed a left pedal turn to observe the windsock. The pilot lost control of the helicopter, the tail rotor struck an embankment parallel to the runway, "which resulted in a 180-degree spin to the left and dynamic rollover." The helicopter came to rest on its left side, and incurred substantial damage to the fuselage, tail boom, and rotor blades. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter prior to the accident. He further stated that the accident could have been avoided by performance of the clearing turn farther from the embankment.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA10CA039