N856HA

Substantial
None

ROBINSON R22S/N: 1894m

Accident Details

Date
Thursday, September 30, 2010
NTSB Number
WPR10CA478
Location
Portland, OR
Event ID
20100930X45434
Coordinates
45.540554, -122.949996
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The student pilot's decision to hover-taxi behind a jet, resulting in the helicopter encountering jet wash and rolling over.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N856HA
Make
ROBINSON
Serial Number
1894m
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Model / ICAO
R22R22
Aircraft Type
Rotorcraft
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
HILLSBORO AVIATION INC
Address
3565 NE CORNELL RD
Status
Deregistered
City
HILLSBORO
State / Zip Code
OR 97124-6374
Country
United States

Analysis

The pilot said he was returning to his home airport when the accident occurred. On final approach, the pilot noted another helicopter was at the parking area, so he altered his course towards taxiway "Alpha" and finished his approach coming to a hover about 3 to 5 feet above the ground. He then commenced to hover-taxi to his parking spot. The student pilot stated that in order to reach his intended parking spot he would have to pass behind an Embraer jet that was holding short of the runway. The pilot reported that he was not expecting the jet blast produced by the turbine engines, and as the helicopter passed behind the airplane, it yawed to the left and rolled onto its side, impacting the ground. According to witnesses, the accident helicopter passed 10 meters (33 feet) behind the jet, at an altitude of about 3 feet above the ground.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# WPR10CA478