Downtown Ardmore Exec Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ardmore, Oklahoma 73401
Friday, April 26, 1996 18:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During a familiarization flight with a flight instructor, the pilot-rated student landed the helicopter in tall grass approximately 50 feet short of the intended touchdown point. While attempting to take off with 'the right skid embedded in soft earth,' the helicopter 'rolled to the right and came to rest on its side.' The pilot-rated student held a German private pilot certificate with a helicopter rating.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the student's inadvertent dynamic rollover, and inadequate supervision by the flight instructor.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/26/1996
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1830
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City ARDMORE
Event State OKLAHOMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 73401
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DOWNTOWN ARDMORE EXEC
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 1F0
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 840
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 86
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 29 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1812
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 9:56AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5226
NTSB Number FTW96LA192
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 Bell
Aircraft Model 47D1
Aircraft Series Identifier 47D1
Aircraft Serial Number 37
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 22 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 14396
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RANDALL HICKMAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 907 W. EUFAULA
Aircraft Owner City NORMAN
Aircraft Owner State OK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 73069
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name VERSATILE AVIATION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1333 SO. LAKE MURRAY DR.
Operator City ARDMORE
Operator State OK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 73401
Operator Code HFZS
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation External Load
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code IF0
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1800
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --