On February 3, 1998, a Bell 206B (registration N26EA) was involved in an aviation accident near Miami, FL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a dynamic rollover event while taking off in a known right crosswind and encountering a gust. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A helicopter experienced a dynamic rollover during takeoff when encountering a gust while lifting off with a known right crosswind. The pilot was unable to correct the situation before the aircraft rolled onto its side.
What happened
The pilot reported that the helicopter was positioned facing approximately 100 degrees relative to the wind, with a known right crosswind component present. Upon increasing collective pitch to initiate lift-off, the helicopter left the ground with the left skid low. As the pilot applied right cyclic control to counteract the drift, the aircraft encountered an unexpected gust of wind. This gust caused the helicopter to roll over onto its side. When questioned about the sequence of events, the pilot identified the incident as dynamic rollover, stating that he was unable to correct the situation before the rollover occurred.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the pilot's account of the takeoff phase and the aerodynamic conditions present during the lift-off. The primary mechanical finding centered on the helicopter's response to the crosswind and gust during the critical moment of leaving the ground with one skid low.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a dynamic rollover event while taking off in a known right crosswind and encountering a gust.