Lansing Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lansing, Illinois 60411
Friday, May 20, 2011 13:37 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot reported that it was his first solo helicopter flight. He performed two takeoffs and landings with his flight instructor on board, and then the instructor got out of the helicopter. The student pilot took off, flew a normal traffic pattern, and made a successful full-stop landing. He taxied off the runway and set the helicopter back down on the taxiway. He lifted off the ground again into a hover and started to taxi to the ramp where the instructor was located. The instructor observed the student pilot lose control of the helicopter as he was doing a pedal turn to the left. The helicopter did a “massive yaw, pitch, and roll.” It hit the ground on its aft skids, bending the aft skid tube. It bounced up, rolled left in a nose-high attitude, and the tail rotor struck the ground. The operator reported that there was no mechanical malfunction with or failure of the helicopter.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot’s failure to maintain control of the helicopter while hovering.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/20/2011
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1337
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Lansing
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60411
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 413205N
Event Location Longitude 0873146W
Event Location Airport Lansing Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID IGQ
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1330 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID IGQ
Elevation of weather observation facility 620
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 28535
NTSB Notification Source FAA-DuPage FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 7 2011 1:51PM
User who most recently changed record bowl
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7197Z
NTSB Number CEN11CA351
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
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 3249
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SUN AERO HELICOPTERS INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 5088
Aircraft Owner City LANSING
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60438-5088
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name SUN AERO HELICOPTERS INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address PO BOX 5088
Operator City LANSING
Operator State IL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 60438-5088
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 IGQ
Departure City Lansing
Departure State IL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1315
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code IGQ
Destination City Lansing
Destination State IL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 6 2011 5:28PM
User who most recently changed record silj
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --