Lakeland Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lakeland, Florida 33811
Tuesady, November 21, 2006 15:10 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The certified flight instructor (CFI) stated that he was giving demo discovery flights. He landed, the first passenger got out, and the second passenger got into the helicopter and buckled up. As the CFI started to takeoff, the helicopter came off the ground about 2 inches and rolled to the left. As it began to roll, he put the collective down and rolled the throttle off. The cyclic consistently went to the left even though he was trying to pull it back to the right and the helicopter would not move to the right. The helicopter continued the left roll until contacting the ground, damaging the skids, rotor blades, and tail boom. The responding FAA inspector stated that the certified flight instructor said the helicopter was used in a Title 14 CFR part 61 flight school, which also gives rides to those who wanted the experience of flying in a helicopter. During the accident flight, he picked the aircraft up to a hover and felt the aircraft moving to the left. He then asked the passenger if she was pushing the cyclic left and her response was no. The passenger stated to the FAA inspector, when interviewed, that her left leg was not near enough to the center post of the cyclic to touch it and the pilot (flight instructor) didn't say anything during the takeoff. She added that the pilot had both hands on the stick on his left (collective) and he grabbed the control (cyclic) as the helicopter lifted off the ground. Cyclic, collective and tail rotor control continuity was established by the FAA inspector during a post accident examination of the helicopter.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The flight instructor's failure to maintain control of the helicopter during takeoff resulting in a roll over.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/21/2006
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1510
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Lakeland
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33811
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 275920N
Event Location Longitude 0820107W
Event Location Airport Lakeland
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KLAL
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KLAL
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.02
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 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency --
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 21039
NTSB Notification Source FAA Atlanta Comm Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2007 11:14AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2302A
NTSB Number MIA07CA021
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 --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Robinson
Aircraft Model R22
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1903
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Matthew L Spitzer
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Hayward
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94542
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Elite Flying & Management Services Inc.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Lakeland
Operator State FL
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code KLAL
Departure City Lakeland
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone EST
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 --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 21 2007 1:28PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --