Mount Comfort Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mc Cordsville, Indiana 46055
Tuesady, November 8, 1994 16:38 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT HELD A PRIVATE CERTIFICATE FOR SINGLE ENGINE LAND AIRPLANES AND WAS PILOTING THE HELICOPTER ON A SUPERVISED SOLO FLIGHT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. HE REPORTED THAT HE HAD 307 HOURS IN AIRPLANES AND 23 HOURS IN THE HELICOPTER WITH ONE HOUR SOLO, AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. HE STATED THAT ON INITIAL TAKEOFF ADJACENT TO RUNWAY 25, HE WAS AWARE OF AN AIRPLANE DEPARTING ON RUNWAY 25 AND WHEN IT CAME INTO HIS SIGHT, HIGH AND TO HIS LEFT, HE TURNED TO CONFIRM ITS PRESENCE. WHEN HE TURNED BACK, HE FOUND THAT HE HAD ALLOWED THE HELICOPTER TO PITCH NOSE HIGH AND RESPONDED BY MOVING THE CYCLIC CONTROL FORWARD. HE DESCRIBED LOSING CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER AND HE WAS ABLE TO RECOVER TO A NEAR LEVEL CONDITION AT TOUCHDOWN. THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN HARD AND ROLLED ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's improper use of the cyclic control. Factors were the diversion of attention and total lack of experience in the type of aircraft, by the pilot.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/8/1994
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1638
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City MC CORDSVILLE
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 46055
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MOUNT COMFORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MQJ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 862
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1654 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 250
Weather Observation Facility ID IND
Elevation of weather observation facility 797
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 19
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 13000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 13
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1237
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 8 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1850
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N317GB
NTSB Number CHI95LA034
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ROBINSON
Aircraft Model R-22B
Aircraft Series Identifier R-22B
Aircraft Serial Number 2429
Certified Max Gross Weight 1370
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 20 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 42
Airframe Hours 350
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name INDIANAPOLIS HELICOPTER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8356 N 600 W
Aircraft Owner City MC CORDSVILLE
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 46055
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code MQJ
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code MQJ
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 25
Runway Length 5500
Runway Width 250
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --