Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bartlett, Texas 76511
Monday, April 28, 2008 10:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private (airplane) rated pilot, who did not hold a rotorcraft rating, attempted to depart in a single-engine helicopter with one passenger on-board. The pilot reported that as he started his takeoff, "the helicopter came off the ground approximately 2 feet, but I felt it was in a malfunction mode, rotated 30 degrees to the left, and set it back down on both skids. While in the malfunction mode, I felt a jar to my left pedal and/or side." The pilot also stated that he thought the main rotor blade had hit the tail cone and disintegrated. A post-crash fire erupted. The passenger initially was slow in exiting the aircraft, and was pulled from the fire by the pilot once he had exited the aircraft. An inspection of the helicopter and the accident site indicated that during the takeoff sequence the helicopter's tail skid/rotor hit an embankment, located just behind the helicopter's landing area. The on-scene examination also revealed that helicopter's main rotor blades displayed "coning" effect; the tail rotor drive shaft appeared to be intact prior to the fire, and the tail rotor blades displayed damage that was consistent with ground strikes. Records on the helicopter revealed that the pilot/owner had purchased the helicopter 7 days prior to the accident date. Additionally, the helicopter had been disassembled for shipment, while being offered for sale. The condition of the helicopter at the time of sale was listed as, "not airworthy", and was sold, "as is"; however, the condition at the time of the flight was not known.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain tail rotor clearance from terrain (embankment) during takeoff.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/28/2008
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Bartlett
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76511
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
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 KGTU
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 --
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) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.28
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 1
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 24615
NTSB Notification Source ROC
NTSB Notification Date Apr 28 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 22 2008 9:51AM
User who most recently changed record guzj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office San Antonio

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N477SH
NTSB Number DFW08LA122
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Robinson
Aircraft Model R44
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 10904
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2155.8
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Ray Mitchell
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO Box 79
Aircraft Owner City Bartlett
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76511
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Ray Mitchell
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address PO Box 79
Operator City Bartlett
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 76511
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 --
Departure City Bartlett
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1030
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State AR
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 13 2008 2:22PM
User who most recently changed record hatc
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --