Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Blue Grass Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Lexington, Kentucky 40510
Sunday, February 1, 2009 18:50 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot of the Robinson R-22 stated that he was preparing for takeoff in the center of a non-movement area. Upon advancing the throttle to 100%, the helicopter began to spin rapidly to the left while still on the ground. The pilot attempted to completely lower the collective lever while reducing throttle to stop the rotation, but felt no noticeable effect. He then pulled the mixture control knob to stop the engine, coming to rest at the edge of a non-movement area. As the helicopter spun, it drifted until the tailboom contacted a snow bank incurring substantial damage. The pilot stated that he was wearing a heavy coat and boots at the time of the accident, which may have interfered with his ability to operate the collective and anti-torque pedal controls.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter during takeoff. Contributing to this accident was the interference of the flight controls by the heavy coat and boots the pilot was wearing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/1/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1850 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Lexington |
| Event State | KENTUCKY |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 40510 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 380211N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0843621W |
| Event Location Airport | Blue Grass Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | LEX |
| 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 | 979 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1854 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KLEX |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 979 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| 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) | 7 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 210 |
| 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) | 29.93 |
| 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) | 25232 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Southern Region ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 16 2009 12:20PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2620C |
| NTSB Number | ERA09CA156 |
| 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 | ROBINSON HELICOPTER |
| Aircraft Model | R22 BETA |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 0725 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1350 |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Oct 29 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 7905 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | FORD WILLIAM I JR |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | LEXINGTON |
| Aircraft Owner State | KY |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 40505-2536 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | FORD WILLIAM I JR |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | LEXINGTON |
| Operator State | KY |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 40505-2536 |
| 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 | LEX |
| Departure City | Lexington |
| Departure State | KY |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | 27K |
| Destination City | Georgetown |
| Destination State | KY |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 28 2009 11:14AM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |