Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Nekoosa, Wisconsin 54457
Thursday, September 9, 1999 10:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said he took off from the southeast side of a building and flew west. He stated he turned and flew north. He turned right and flew to the east. He said he 'experienced a hard gust of wind on my tail, causing the aircraft to enter a right spin.' He applied full left rudder and the helicopter did not stop its spinning. He stated he lowered 'the nose in an attempt to fly out of the spin, but to no avail again.' The pilot stated, 'I would need to attempt an auto-rotation to a safe landing.' He said that the 'landing was hard and the tail spun and hit two cars in the parking lot.' The pass was done in slow cruise. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions. The pilot checked wind before the flight. The wind was 270 degrees at 15 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's inadequate compensation for wind gusts. Factors were the wind gusts and the two vehicles parked nearby.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/9/1999
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City NEKOOSA
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 54457
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 9
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 1054 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 40
Weather Observation Facility ID ISW
Elevation of weather observation facility 1020
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4300
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2900
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1166
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 9 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1036
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 9:51AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4010G
NTSB Number CHI99LA334
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 206B
Aircraft Series Identifier 206B
Aircraft Serial Number 183
Certified Max Gross Weight 3200
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 26 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 8
Airframe Hours 14842
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DARREL PAUL BASSUENER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7330 HIGHWAY 13 SOUTH
Aircraft Owner City WISCONSIN RAPID
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 54494
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) Aerial Observation
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State WI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1025
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 Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 12:27PM
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 --