Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Lake Charles Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Lake Charles, Louisiana 70607
Saturday, April 9, 2011 22:30 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The helicopter was in a stabilized hover into the wind on the approach end of the runway for about 15 to 20 seconds. The pilot was preparing to move the cyclic forward to start the helicopter into forward flight when the nose began a slight uncommanded turn to the right. The pilot added more left pedal, but the helicopter quickly picked up momentum and speed until the helicopter was spinning out of control. The pilot then lowered the collective pitch lever and the helicopter struck the runway surface, resulting in substantial damage. No preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures were found that would have precluded normal operation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's loss of control of the helicopter while in a hover.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/9/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 2230 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Lake Charles |
| Event State | LOUISIANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 70607 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 300725N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0931323W |
| Event Location Airport | Lake Charles Regional Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | LCH |
| 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 | 15 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2253 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 360 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KLCH |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 17 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 1000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 7 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 24 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 22 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 160 |
| 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) | 29.87 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KLCH 100353Z AUTO 16007KT 7SM OVC010 24/22 A2987 |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 30845 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA ASW Regional Operations Ce |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 13 2012 4:03PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kaij |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N372LE |
| NTSB Number | CEN11LA283 |
| 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 |
| Aircraft Model | R22 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | BETA |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 3272 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1370 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| 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 | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 99 |
| Airframe Hours | 2399 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C126 |
| Aircraft Owner Name | BEND HELICOPTER PARTNERS LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 63342 POWELL BUTTE HWY |
| Aircraft Owner City | BEND |
| Aircraft Owner State | OR |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 97701-9417 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Performance Helicopters LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 3423 PINE DRIVE |
| Operator City | SULFUR |
| Operator State | LA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 70663 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | LCH |
| Departure City | Lake Charles |
| Departure State | LA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 2130 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | LCH |
| Destination City | Lake Charles |
| Destination State | LA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 13 2012 4:03PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kaij |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 15 |
| Runway Length | 6500 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |