Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Smoketown, Pennsylvania 17576
Tuesady, October 11, 2005 14:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During a supervised solo, the student pilot was practicing 360 degree circles in a hover practice area at the airport. During the maneuver he reached a point perpendicular to the prevailing wind, and added right torque pedal to compensate, with minimal result. The student pilot then added power to regain control, and the helicopter started to continuously rotate to the right and began climbing. After reaching about 100 feet, and completing approximately 5 revolutions to the right, the helicopter descended, and impacted the ground in a flat attitude, resulting in substantial damage.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while performing pedal turns at a hover, resulting in a collision with terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/11/2005
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1445
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Smoketown
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 17576
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 400228N
Event Location Longitude 0761205W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1453 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 315
Weather Observation Facility ID LNS
Elevation of weather observation facility 403
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.03
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 19063
NTSB Notification Source HAR FSDO
NTSB Notification Date Oct 11 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jan 31 2006 7:35AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Harrisburg, PA

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N51772
NTSB Number NYC06CA008
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 Enstrom
Aircraft Model F-28C
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 439
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Oct 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5.7
Airframe Hours 1762.9
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Michael Kuhn
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Smoketown
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 17576
Operator is an individual? Yes
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? --
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code S37
Departure City Smoketown
Departure State PA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code S37
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Hover
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 23 2005 2:44PM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --