Minerva Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Minerva, Ohio 44657
Sunday, October 10, 2004 12:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

As the pilot lifted the helicopter off the ground, it began to "tilt forward." In an attempt to recover the pitch attitude, the pilot pulled back on the cyclic, and at the same time, the tail boom impacted the ground, and separated from the helicopter. The pilot reported no mechanical deficiencies with the helicopter.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter during liftoff.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/10/2004
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Minerva
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 44657
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 404445N
Event Location Longitude 0810839W
Event Location Airport Minerva Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID OH15
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 1080
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1551 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID CAK
Elevation of weather observation facility 1228
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2400
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) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.23
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 17053
NTSB Notification Source Cleveland FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 28 2004 12:45PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7423F
NTSB Number NYC05CA008
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 Hughes
Aircraft Model 269C
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 660512
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 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 1 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 204
Airframe Hours 4481
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Dennis Philippi
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City North Canton
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 44720
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Dennis Philippi
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City North Canton
Operator State OH
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code OH15
Departure City Minerva
Departure State OH
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 2D1
Destination City Alliance
Destination State OH
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Hover
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Nov 5 2004 1:55PM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --