Pilot Debrief

ROBINSON HELICOPTER R44 near Page, AZ — 2017-11-11

Final reportWPR18LA031
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Date
2017-11-11
Location
Page, AZ, USA
Airport
PGA
Aircraft
ROBINSON HELICOPTER R44
Registration
N744BS
Category
Helicopter
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain pitch control of the helicopter while transitioning from a hover to forward flight.

NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot was conducting a personal flight in the helicopter to practice operating in the traffic pattern and performing landings and hovers. When the helicopter was transitioning from a hover to forward flight, the nose suddenly pitched down more than expected. The pilot immediately applied aft cyclic but was unable to arrest the downward pitch. The helicopter subsequently impacted the ground and came to rest on its side. The passenger reported that first the skids and then the rotor blades contacted the ground. During a postaccident examination of the helicopter, flight control continuity was established with no anomalies noted that would have precluded normal operations. Thus, the pilot likely did not maintain a proper pitch attitude while transitioning to forward flight.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted takeoff when experiencing unexpected nose pitch down.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 5 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents5

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