Casualties unknown

2006-04-25: Robinson R22 BETA (N7197K) — Brook, IN

Brook, IN, US

On April 25, 2006, a Robinson R22 BETA (registration N7197K) was involved in an aviation accident near Brook, IN. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's intentional decision to leave the helicopter unattended with the engines running which resulted in a dynamic rollover. The inadvertent dynamic rollover was a factor. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 1781061362Data APIEditorial standards

A helicopter rolled onto its side in Brook, Indiana, after the pilot exited it to hand garbage bags to a truck driver. The pilot heard increasing rotor RPM and stayed at a safe distance before the aircraft pivoted on its right skid and tipped over.

Incident Overview

A helicopter pilot reported that he had flown his helicopter to Brook, Indiana, to perform cleanup following a previous truck spill. After completing the cleanup, he placed the waste materials into garbage bags and loaded them into the helicopter. He then started the helicopter and was either lifting off or preparing to lift off when he saw one of his waste hauling trucks.

Pilot's Actions

The pilot decided to have the truck transport the cleanup materials instead. He removed the garbage bags from the helicopter and gave them to the truck driver. As he was returning to the helicopter, he heard the engine RPM increasing. Believing it would be unsafe to approach, he remained at a safe distance.

Helicopter Rolls Over

Approximately 15 seconds later, the helicopter pivoted on its right landing skid and rolled onto its side. The pilot stated that before leaving the helicopter, he had lowered the collective and applied the friction locks. No other information about injuries, aircraft damage, or weather conditions was provided in the pilot's account.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20060601X00667. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.