N6143K

Substantial
None

SCHWEIZER 269CS/N: S1750

Accident Details

Date
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
NTSB Number
ERA10CA399
Location
Baldwin, FL
Event ID
20100805X80822
Coordinates
30.311111, -81.946662
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

A loss of tail rotor effectiveness during a hover.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N6143K
Make
SCHWEIZER
Serial Number
S1750
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1997
Model / ICAO
269CH269
Aircraft Type
Rotorcraft
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
CITY OF JACKSONVILLE
Address
117 W DUVAL ST STE 375
Status
Deregistered
City
JACKSONVILLE
State / Zip Code
FL 32202-5725
Country
United States

Analysis

According to the pilot, during a mosquito breeding inspection flight, he entered a hover about 2 feet above a field of tall vegetation, and "within 10-15 seconds the nose of the aircraft began to yaw to the right." The pilot corrected with full left anti-torque pedal and attempted to "enter into translational lift" as the helicopter continued to rotate. The right skid contacted the ground, and the helicopter rolled onto its side, sustaining substantial damage to the main rotor blades, fuselage, and skids. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions of the helicopter prior to the accident. He recommended that, "inspection during a cooler part of the day or with presence of wind, or inspecting while moving forward could have prevented the accident." About the time of the accident, an airport weather station about 6 miles southeast of the accident site reported winds variable at 5 knots and temperature 31 degrees C.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA10CA399