On July 30, 2002, a Robinson R-22B (registration N8347Y) was involved in an aviation accident near Madison Heights, VA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point on the helipad, which resulted in a rollover. A factor in this accident was pilot fatigue. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A helicopter rolled over during a landing attempt on a tight helipad after the pilot reported being very tired. The accident occurred following a 100-hour inspection flight.
Accident Details
The pilot of the helicopter departed from his residence at 0700 and flew to an airport to complete a 100-hour inspection on the helicopter. The inspection was completed, and the pilot departed the airport at 1830 for the return flight home, arriving at about 2030.
Landing Attempt
The pilot stated that he was "very tired" and attempted to land on a "very tight helipad" in front of the building where the helicopter was hangared. As the helicopter touched down, it was not far enough onto the helipad and began to tilt backward. The pilot attempted to correct the helicopter's position, but the helicopter rolled over and struck the ground.
Mechanical Status
The pilot further stated that he did not experience any mechanical problems with the helicopter during the flight.