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| Date: | Monday 16 August 1999 |
| Time: | 16:37 LT |
| Type: |  Robinson R22 |
| Owner/operator: | Northern Lights Helicopters |
| Registration: | N20879 |
| MSN: | 1442 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1990 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 1132 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-320 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Mansfield, MA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | (1B9) |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
With his instructor outside the helicopter watching, the student pilot attempted to bring the helicopter to a hover. With the left skid in the air and the entire right skid on the ground, the helicopter rolled over. No pre-impact failures or malfunctions were found. Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular 90-87 (Helicopter Dynamic Rollover) states the following; 'During normal or slope takeoffs and landings with...one skid/wheel on the ground, the bank angle or side drift can place the helicopter in a situation where it is pivoting (rolling) about a skid/wheel which is still in contact with the ground....if a roll rate is permitted to develop, a critical bank angle...may be reached where roll cannot be corrected, even with full lateral cyclic.' The student pilot had logged a total of 27 hours of flight experience with all 27 hours in helicopters.
Probable Cause: Was the student pilot's failure to maintain lateral control of the helicopter while bringing it to a hover. A factor in the accident was the student pilot's lack of total experience in helicopters.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB NYC99LA204
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 08-Mar-2024 20:01 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
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