Frederick Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Frederick, Maryland 21701
Thursday, May 1, 2014 19:10 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the flight instructor, his student was practicing hover operations over a grassy area of the airport. This was the first flight in a helicopter for the student pilot. The helicopter drifted to the right while descending. The right skid contacted the grass and the helicopter rolled to the right and the main rotor blades contacted the ground. The helicopter continued to roll over and came to rest on its right side. An inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration examined the helicopter and confirmed substantial damage to the fuselage, tail boom, and main rotor blades. The pilots reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the hover, and the flight instructors lack of remedial action, resulting in a dynamic rollover and structural damage to the helicopter.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/1/2014
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1910
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Frederick
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 21701
Event Date Year 2014
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 392503N
Event Location Longitude 0772228W
Event Location Airport FREDERICK MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FDK
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 243
Airport Elevation 306
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1845 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID FDK
Elevation of weather observation facility 306
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 9000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
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) 29.75
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 32743
NTSB Notification Source Operator
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record May 23 2014 9:22AM
User who most recently changed record gots
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N802CP
NTSB Number ERA14CA217
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 R22 BETA
Aircraft Series Identifier BETA
Aircraft Serial Number 2270
Certified Max Gross Weight 1369
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 Apr 9 2014 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 45
Airframe Hours 6621
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ADVANCED HELICOPTER CONCEPTS INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City FREDERICK
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 217014794
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name ADVANCED HELICOPTER CONCEPTS INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City FREDERICK
Operator State MD
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 217014794
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
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 FDK
Departure City Frederick
Departure State MD
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1830
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code FDK
Destination City Frederick
Destination State MD
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 23 2014 9:23AM
User who most recently changed record gots
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 --