No fatalities

24 Oct 2009: ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22 BETA — V T WHITLOCK INC — Scranton, SC

Scranton, SC, United States

On 24 Oct 2009, a ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22 BETA operated by V T WHITLOCK INC was involved in an aviation accident near Scranton, SC. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the helicopter. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A helicopter pilot lost control after a left pedal turn to observe a windsock, causing the tail rotor to strike an embankment, resulting in a dynamic rollover and substantial damage.

Accident Overview

A helicopter pilot reported losing control while performing a left pedal turn during hover-taxi after the first leg of a cross-country flight. The tail rotor struck an embankment parallel to the runway, leading to a 180-degree spin to the left and a dynamic rollover. The helicopter came to rest on its left side.

Damage

The accident inflicted substantial damage to the fuselage, tail boom, and rotor blades.

Pilot Statement

The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter prior to the accident. He further noted that the event could have been avoided had the clearing turn been performed farther from the embankment.

Contributing factors

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedPilot