Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Newark, Delaware 19702
Saturday, May 13, 1995 11:05 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT DID A STEEP APPROACH AND CAME TO A HOVER OVER AN AREA OF HIGH VEGETATION. SHE THEN STARTED A RIGHT 90 DEGREE TURN TO HOVER TAXI TO THE HELIPAD. THE PILOT STATED THE HELICOPTER 'WENT INTO 360 DEGREE SPINS IN A MATTER OF SECONDS,' LANDED IN BRUSH, AND ROLLED ONTO ITS LEFT SIDE. THE PILOT TOLD THE FAA THAT WHILE IN THE TURN TO THE HELIPAD SHE NEGLECTED TO ADD THROTTLE BEFORE PULLING UP ON THE COLLECTIVE (POWER), NOTICED THE RPM WAS LOW AND COULD NOT MAKE A RECOVERY. THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT ANY MECHANICAL PROBLEMS, AND NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND WITH THE HELICOPTER OR THE ENGINE. THE PILOT'S TOTAL FLIGHT HOURS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE 107.5, ALL IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL HELICOPTER, AND 26.7 HOURS WERE AS PILOT-IN-COMMAND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper use of throttle and collective controls, resulting in the loss of rotor rpm and the inflight loss of control.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/13/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1105
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City NEWARK
Event State DELAWARE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 19702
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1055 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID ILG
Elevation of weather observation facility 75
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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) 880
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 13 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:16PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N122HA
NTSB Number NYC95LA107
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 ENSTROM
Aircraft Model 280C
Aircraft Series Identifier 280C
Aircraft Serial Number 1067
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 Apr 13 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 72
Airframe Hours 3595
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HORIZON HELICOPTER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2035 SUNSET LAKE RD.
Aircraft Owner City NEWARK
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19702
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
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
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Hover
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --