Summary
On June 12, 2013, a Hughes TH-55A (N7057H) was involved in an incident near Morgantown, WV. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot’s inadequate planning which resulted in an encounter with settling with power and descent into terrain during takeoff.
The pilot was attempting to reposition the helicopter from an off-airport site in advance of an approaching storm. Following an uneventful preflight inspection and engine start, the pilot climbed the helicopter into a hover and turned toward his intended departure path. He then pushed the cyclic control forward and increased the collective pitch in order to clear some approaching trees. The pilot then realized that “appropriate power” was not available, and turned right in order to avoid the trees. The helicopter subsequently settled with power and impacted the brush below, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe.
This incident is documented in NTSB report ERA13CA283. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N7057H.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot’s inadequate planning which resulted in an encounter with settling with power and descent into terrain during takeoff.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The pilot was attempting to reposition the helicopter from an off-airport site in advance of an approaching storm. Following an uneventful preflight inspection and engine start, the pilot climbed the helicopter into a hover and turned toward his intended departure path. He then pushed the cyclic control forward and increased the collective pitch in order to clear some approaching trees. The pilot then realized that “appropriate power” was not available, and turned right in order to avoid the trees. The helicopter subsequently settled with power and impacted the brush below, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the helicopter, nor were any discovered during a postaccident examination of the airframe and engine conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector. The pilot additionally stated that the accident could have been prevented with “better situational awareness.”
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA13CA283