Portland-Hillsboro Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Portland, Oregon 97124
Wednesday, September 29, 2010 17:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that he was returning to his home airport when the accident occurred. On final approach, the pilot noted another helicopter was at the parking area, so he altered his course towards taxiway "A" and finished his approach coming to a hover about 3 to 5 feet above the ground. He then commenced to hover-taxi to his parking spot. The student pilot stated that in order to reach his intended parking spot he would have to pass behind an Embraer jet that was holding short of the runway. The pilot reported that he was not expecting the jet blast produced by the turbine engines, and as the helicopter passed behind the airplane, it yawed to the left and rolled onto its side, impacting the ground. According to witnesses, the accident helicopter passed about 30 feet behind the jet at an altitude of about 3 feet above the ground.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's decision to hover-taxi behind a jet, resulting in the helicopter encountering jet wash and rolling over.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/29/2010
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1745
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Portland
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97124
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 453226N
Event Location Longitude 1225700W
Event Location Airport Portland-Hillsboro Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HIO
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1753 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID HIO
Elevation of weather observation facility 208
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 45
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.12
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) 27709
NTSB Notification Source FAA AMN Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 8 2010 5:09PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N856HA
NTSB Number WPR10CA478
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ROBINSON
Aircraft Model R22
Aircraft Series Identifier MARINER
Aircraft Serial Number 1894m
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 2 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 66
Airframe Hours 8830
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Hillsboro Aviation Inc
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Hillsboro
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97124
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Hillsboro Aviation Inc
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Hillsboro
Operator State OR
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 97124
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 7S5
Departure City Independence
Departure State OR
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code HIO
Destination City Portland
Destination State OR
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 8 2010 5:06PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 30
Runway Length 6600
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --