Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Essex County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Fairfield, New Jersey 07004
Saturday, May 27, 1995 15:41 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
THE STUDENT PILOT HAD BEEN PRACTICING HOVERING AND LANDINGS IN A GRASS AREA WEST OF THE RUNWAY FOR ABOUT 40 MINUTES. AFTER CONDUCTING NUMEROUS LANDINGS AND TAKEOFFS AND WITH THE HELICOPTER FIRMLY ON THE GROUND, SHE REMOVED HER HAND FROM THE THROTTLE AND COLLECTIVE, BECAUSE HER HAND HAD BECOME FATIGUED FROM OPERATING THE CONTROLS. HER NEXT RECOLLECTION WAS THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS OFF THE GROUND, APPROXIMATELY 1 TO 2 FEET. SHE DID NOT RECALL WHAT HAPPENED NEXT, EXCEPT THAT SHE FOUND HERSELF ON THE GROUND OUTSIDE THE HELICOPTER. THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ON ITS RIGHT SIDE WITH THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES SEPARATED. THE PILOT STATED THAT SHE DID NOT HAVE ANY MECHANICAL DIFFICULTY WITH THE HELICOPTER. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE STUDENT PILOT HAD 5 HOURS OF SOLO FLIGHT TIME.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The student pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter. The student's lack of experience in the type of operation (solo flight) was a related factor.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/27/1995 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1541 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | FAIRFIELD |
| Event State | NEW JERSEY |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 07004 |
| 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 | ESSEX COUNTY |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | CDW |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 173 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1545 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | CDW |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 173 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 5000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 15 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 24 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 8 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 360 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| 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) | 883 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 27 1995 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1645 |
| 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 | N8541E |
| NTSB Number | NYC95LA126 |
| 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-22A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | R-22A |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 0442 |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 28 1995 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 85 |
| Airframe Hours | 6128 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | SOUTHPORT AIRCRAFT CORP. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 48 DAVEY DR. |
| Aircraft Owner City | WEST ORANGE |
| Aircraft Owner State | NJ |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 07052 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | EAGLE HELICOPTERS, INC. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 167C PASSAIC AVE |
| Operator City | FAIRFIELD |
| Operator State | NJ |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 07004 |
| Operator Code | EHLA |
| 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 | CDW |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1500 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| 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 | Standing |
| 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 | 4 |
| Runway Length | 4553 |
| Runway Width | 80 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |