Ormond Beach Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ormond Beach, Florida 32175
Wednesday, April 8, 1998 11:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The CFI stated he was asking the rated pilot questions as the rated pilot was making a steep approach at 300 feet and about 35 knots airspeed. He asked the pilot receiving instruction if he could roll the throttle off. The rated pilot replied, 'roll the throttle off' and immediately rolled the throttle off. The CFI noticed an immediate drop in rotor rpm, and took over the flight controls with the helicopter in a vertical rate of descent. He lowered the collective pitch in an attempt to regain rotor rpm, but did not apply forward cyclic to increase airspeed due to low altitude. The helicopter collided with the sod area hard, and rolled over onto its left side.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The CFI's inadequate supervision and poor communication which led the rated student pilot to roll the throttle off, and the CFI's subsequent failure to apply forward cyclic to increase airspeed which resulted in the subsequent hard landing and roll over.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/8/1998
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ORMOND BEACH
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32175
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ORMOND BEACH MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID OMN
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 28
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1153 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID DAB
Elevation of weather observation facility 35
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2700
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 15
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) 55
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 8 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1210
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:10AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7509E
NTSB Number MIA98LA127
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 Schweizer
Aircraft Model 269-C
Aircraft Series Identifier 269-C
Aircraft Serial Number 1436
Certified Max Gross Weight 2050
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 Feb 28 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 46
Airframe Hours 4291
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TOMLINSON AVIATION INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 2766
Aircraft Owner City ORMOND BEACH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 2766
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code OMN
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1110
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 Landing
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 --