N38SL – ROBINSON HELICOPTER CO R66 – 2016-06-07 NTSB Accident Report

On June 07, 2016, a Robinson Helicopter Co R66 (N38SL) was involved in an incident near Beaumont, TX. 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 non-pilot owner's decision to start the helicopter while awaiting the pilot's arrival, which resulted in a loss of yaw control and a rollover.

The owner of the helicopter, who did not hold a pilot certificate, reported that he followed the manufacture checklist and started the helicopter as he awaited the arrival of his pilot. He further reported that as the main rotor reached "idle speed" the helicopter spun to the right and rolled over, which resulted in substantial damage to the main rotor drive shaft and tail boom. The owner's pilot did not witness the accident and did not authorize the owner's actions.

The owner did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.

This incident is documented in NTSB report GAA16CA290. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N38SL.