Pocono Mountains Municipal Air Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania 18346
Sunday, March 20, 2011 14:39 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The certified flight instructor (CFI) stated that during a local training flight, the helicopter was at a hover and he reduced power to simulate an engine failure. He said that upon ground contact, the aft portion of helicopter's left skid sank into the mud, the helicopter began to roll to the left, and he attempted corrective action for a dynamic rollover. However, the helicopter rolled over on to its left side resulting in substantial damage to the main rotor blades and fuselage. The CFI and student pilot both stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter prior to the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The flight instructor's selection of an unsuitable landing site to practice autorotations, which resulted in an inadvertent dynamic rollover during touchdown.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/20/2011
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1439
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Mount Pocono
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 18346
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 410808N
Event Location Longitude 0752226W
Event Location Airport Pocono Mountains Municipal Air
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MPO
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 9
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1915
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1453 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 40
Weather Observation Facility ID MPO
Elevation of weather observation facility 1915
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 9000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) -11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.46
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) 28397
NTSB Notification Source FAA Northeast 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 Apr 13 2011 2:36PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N153HT
NTSB Number ERA11CA201
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 SCHWEIZER
Aircraft Model 269C-1
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 0240
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
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 Mar 17 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 1766
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HI-TECH HELICOPTERS INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City POCONO LAKE
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 18347-9731
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name HI-TECH HELICOPTERS INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City POCONO LAKE
Operator State PA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 18347-9731
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code MPO
Departure City Mount Pocono
Departure State PA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code MPO
Destination City Mount Pocono
Destination State PA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 13 2011 2:38PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
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 --