Brookhaven Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Brookhaven, New York 11967
Friday, June 16, 2006 12:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot of an experimental Rotorway 162-F was practicing hovering when the left skid of the helicopter made contact with the helipad, the helicopter rolled to the left, and the main rotor blades struck the ground. The student pilot stated that "I was hovering at about 2 inches which had the skids too close to the ground for my ability." At 1256 EDT, 26 minutes after the accident, the reported wind on the field was 310 degrees at 9 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot inadvertently allowing the skids to contact the ground resulting in dynamic rollover.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/16/2006
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Brookhaven
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 11967
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 404919N
Event Location Longitude 0725201W
Event Location Airport Brookhaven Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KHWV
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 81
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1256 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID KHWV
Elevation of weather observation facility 81
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.11
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) 20456
NTSB Notification Source FRG FSDO
NTSB Notification Date Jul 6 2006 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Oct 3 2006 2:46PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Farmingdale

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N549AB
NTSB Number NYC06CA172
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 Rotorway
Aircraft Model 162-F
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 6723
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Conditional
Date of Last Inspection May 1 2006 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6
Airframe Hours 9
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Anthony V. Badalamenti
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1825 Bellmore Ave.
Aircraft Owner City North Bellmore
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 11710
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code KHWV
Departure City Brookhaven
Departure State NY
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code KHWV
Destination City Brookhaven
Destination State NY
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Hover
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 31 2006 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
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 --