Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Frederick Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Frederick, Maryland 21701
Monday, September 16, 2002 15:40 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During the dual instructional flight, the student pilot was practicing maneuvers in preparation for his helicopter private pilot checkride. The flight instructor briefed a "simulated engine out during takeoff," which the student pilot had not previously performed. The helicopter took off with the student pilot at the controls. About 100 feet and 60-65 knots, the flight instructor advised him that he had a simulated engine failure. The student pilot lowered the collective and rolled off the throttle. He then applied "slight aft cyclic," and raised the collective to slow the descent. The flight instructor attempted to lower the collective while the student pilot continued to raise it. The main rotor rpm deteriorated and the helicopter touched down hard. The main rotor blades flexed, and chopped off the tailboom. The helicopter's height-velocity parameters approximated the "recommended takeoff profile" when the simulated engine failure was initiated. The helicopter manufacturer had written guidelines regarding simulated engine failures, but no written guidance regarding simulated engine failures during takeoff. According to a company representative, the manufacturer taught flight instructors to avoid exposing even high time pilots to simulated power failures during takeoff, since the high power setting could cause a high rotor rpm decay rate.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The student pilot's failure to maintain adequate rotor rpm, and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action. A factor was the manufacturer's inadequate written guidance regarding simulated engine failures during takeoff.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/16/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1540 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Frederick |
| Event State | MARYLAND |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 21701 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 392500N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0772230W |
| Event Location Airport | Frederick Municipal Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | FDK |
| 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 | 303 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1546 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | FDK |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 303 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 7500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 28 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 18 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.01 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 13850 |
| NTSB Notification Source | BWI FSDO |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 17 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1400 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 26 2003 8:17AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Baltimore |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2549R |
| NTSB Number | NYC02LA191 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Robinson |
| Aircraft Model | R-22B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 0609 |
| 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 7 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 38 |
| Airframe Hours | 7474 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | George Meyrick |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Manassas |
| Aircraft Owner State | VA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 20110 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Advanced Helicopter Concepts, Inc. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 330 Aviation Way |
| Operator City | Frederick |
| Operator State | -- |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 21701 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | FDK |
| Departure City | Frederick |
| Departure State | MD |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| 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? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 4 2003 7:10AM |
| User who most recently changed record | COXP |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 30 |
| Runway Length | 3600 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |