Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
N. Charleston, South Carolina 29406
Monday, February 13, 2012 12:00 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The certified flight instructor (CFI) reported that, after takeoff, the student pilot practiced hovering maneuvers then practiced a straight-in autorotation with a planned power recovery. The student pilot initiated the autorotation between 300 and 400 feet above the ground with a 5- to 6-knot tailwind. During the descent, the helicopter descended faster than anticipated, and, although the student pilot initiated a flare to arrest the descent, by that point, the helicopter was too low and still descending too fast. Just before the skids hit a mound of dirt and rock that was about 6- to 8-feet tall, the CFI took the controls but was unable to arrest the descent. The CFI did not apply power but attempted to back off the mound and turn around. Because the engine was at idle power and the rotor rpm was decreasing, the helicopter spun and came to rest on its left side. The CFI reported that there was no preimpact mechanic failure or malfunction. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tailboom and also to the right side of the helicopter in the area of the right aft skid.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The flight instructor’s failure to apply power during a practice autorotation in order to arrest a high rate of descent, which resulted in an in-flight collision with terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/13/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1200 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | N. Charleston |
| Event State | SOUTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 29406 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 325236N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0795732W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| 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 | 1156 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | CHS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 46 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 20000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| 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) | 11 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.301 |
| 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) | 29915 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Soutern C-ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 20 2012 5:50PM |
| User who most recently changed record | snyg |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5511L |
| NTSB Number | ERA12CA179 |
| 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 | R44 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1769 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2400 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 17 2011 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 215 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Vertical D, LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 14866 Ocean Highway |
| Aircraft Owner City | Pawleys Island |
| Aircraft Owner State | SC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 29585 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Charleston Helicopters |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 5875 S. Aviation Avenue |
| Operator City | N. Charleston |
| Operator State | SC |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 29406 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | CHS |
| Departure City | N. Charleston |
| Departure State | SC |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1145 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | CHS |
| Destination City | N. Charleston |
| Destination State | SC |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 21 2012 3:40PM |
| 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 | -- |