Lakeland Linder Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lakeland, Florida 33811
Thursday, January 11, 2007 17:45 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The certificated flight instructor (CFI) stated that upon returning from the local training flight, he wanted to demonstrate a slope landing. He maneuvered the helicopter facing into the wind to begin the maneuver, and touched down on the upslope with the left skid. While lowering the right skid, he felt the slope was too steep and stopped lowering the right skid. While pulling collective to recover, the rear portion of the left skid became caught in the grass, and the helicopter rolled over to the left. He further reported that there was no mechanical failure or malfunction to the helicopter or any of its systems. The student pilot stated that "We were attempting a slope landing, facing east, the left skid was in contact [with] the ground & the right was level in a hover position. The craft pulled hard to the left & landed on the left side. We exited the craft through the right door."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The flight instructor's selection of an unsuitable landing site, which resulted in an inadvertent dynamic rollover during landing. A factor associated with the accident was the inadvertent dynamic rollover.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/11/2007
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1745
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Lakeland
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33811
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 275933N
Event Location Longitude 0820112W
Event Location Airport Lakeland Linder Regional
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 0.2
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 142
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1745 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID KLAL
Elevation of weather observation facility 142
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.35
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 21493
NTSB Notification Source Lakeland Police Department
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record May 29 2007 12:24PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8050Z
NTSB Number MIA07CA035
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Robinson
Aircraft Model R22 Beta
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1117
Certified Max Gross Weight 1370
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 2
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 --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code KLAL
Departure City Lakeland
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code KLAL
Destination City Lakeland
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 27 2007 11:24AM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --