Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Sky Classics Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
East Hanover Tw, Pennsylvania 17003
Thursday, April 20, 2006 16:18 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The private pilot was conducting an out-of-ground effect hover over his property, while the passenger took photographs. At the time, the reciprocating engine helicopter was about 200 feet agl, in an approximate 5 to 10-knot tailwind. The tail of the helicopter began to oscillate left and right, followed by a nose-down descent and impact with a building and terrain. Although the tail oscillated, the helicopter did not spin. The weight of the helicopter at the time of the accident was approximately 2,570 lbs, which was under the 2,850-lb. maximum gross weight of the helicopter. Review of the rotorcraft flight manual revealed that the helicopter was on the edge of the performance envelope, where it could hover out-of-ground-effect at 2,500 lbs., under the given conditions, but not at 2,850 lbs., under the given conditions. In addition, the performance information did not contain any data for hovering out-of-ground-effect in a tailwind, and a tailwind may have required the use of more tail rotor thrust to maintain directional control, which meant there was less power available to the main rotor for the production of lift. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper decision to hover out-of-ground-effect in a tailwind, and his failure to maintain aircraft control. A factor in the accident was the tailwind.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/20/2006 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1618 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | East Hanover Tw |
| Event State | PENNSYLVANIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 17003 |
| Event Date Year | 2006 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 402249N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0763658W |
| Event Location Airport | Sky Classics Field |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 7PS4 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 240 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1623 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 45 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MUI |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 489 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 3 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 30000 |
| 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) | 25 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 28 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -10 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 300 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 14 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.9 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 21130 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA EROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 20 2006 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 26 2007 9:33AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Harrisburg, PA |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N22MP |
| NTSB Number | NYC06FA100 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Bell |
| Aircraft Model | 47G-3B-1 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 3812 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2850 |
| 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 | Continuous Airworthiness |
| Date of Last Inspection | Oct 1 2005 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 25 |
| Airframe Hours | 6009 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Aircorp Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Wilmington |
| Aircraft Owner State | DE |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 19810 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Dennis G. Madonna |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Grantville |
| Operator State | PA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 17028 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | 7PS4 |
| Departure City | Grantville |
| Departure State | PA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1600 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | 7PS4 |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | -- |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Hover - out of ground effect |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 8 2007 4:07PM |
| User who most recently changed record | ANDJ |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 7 |
| Runway Length | 1635 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |