David Wayne Hooks Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tomball, Texas 77379
Saturday, September 23, 2000 15:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The certified flight instructor (CFI) reported that the helicopter was in a 3-foot hover with the student pilot on the controls, when the aircraft began to drift 'slightly' to the right. As the CFI started to correct by applying left cyclic, the student 'abruptly' lowered the collective. Subsequently, the right skid contacted the ground and the helicopter rolled over to the right. A ground impression, corresponding to the right skid was found after the accident. The helicopter's tail boom and main rotor drive system were destroyed and cabin was substantially damaged. The student pilot had received about 4 hours of helicopter instruction at the time of the accident. He held a commercial airman's certificate with single and multi-engine airplane ratings, and was a certified flight instructor for single and multi-engine airplanes.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's abrupt lowering of the collective. Factors were the student pilot's lack of experience in helicopters and the CFI's delayed remedial action.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/23/2000
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1515
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City TOMBALL
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77379
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport DAVID WAYNE HOOKS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DWH
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 150
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
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) 35
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 590
NTSB Notification Source FAA OPERATIONS CENTER
NTSB Notification Date Sep 24 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1721
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Apr 21 2001 4:05AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7183X
NTSB Number FTW00LA269
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-22B
Aircraft Series Identifier R-22B
Aircraft Serial Number 2887
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 21 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 19
Airframe Hours 1615
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HELICOPTER SERVICES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 19931 STUEBNER AIRLINE ROAD
Aircraft Owner City SPRING
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77379
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 DWH
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1440
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 Hover
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 21 2001 4:05AM
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 --