Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Houston, Texas 77379
Tuesady, December 30, 2008 12:55 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot departed in his single-engine experimental helicopter in calm wind conditions with a hover transition approximately six feet above the ground when the helicopter yawed to the left and the engine surged. He immediately began to maneuver back toward level ground but the engine stopped producing power and continued to yaw to the left. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude and directional control and subsequently contacted the ground with the nose of the helicopter pointed approximately 35 degrees to the left of the direction of flight. The right skid collapsed upon impact and the helicopter rolled over onto its right side. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The loss of engine power during a hover landing which resulted in a hard landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/30/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1255 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Houston |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 77379 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 300325N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0953306W |
| Event Location Airport | David Wayne Hooks Memorial |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | DWH |
| 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 | 152 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1253 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | DWH |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 152 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| 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) | 3 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 210 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.17 |
| 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) | 25113 |
| NTSB Notification Source | HOU FAA/FSDO |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 25 2009 3:48PM |
| User who most recently changed record | gamw |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N555CX |
| NTSB Number | CEN09LA113 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | COTTON GALEN M |
| Aircraft Model | HELICYCLE |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 03-021-E24 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 890 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 29 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 94 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | COTTON GALEN M |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2226 BAUER DR |
| Aircraft Owner City | HOUSTON |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 77080-5570 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | COTTON GALEN M |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 2226 BAUER DR |
| Operator City | HOUSTON |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 77080-5570 |
| 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 | DWH |
| Departure City | Houston |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1255 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | EYQ |
| Destination City | Weiser Airpark |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 25 2009 3:48PM |
| User who most recently changed record | gamw |
| 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 | -- |