NEWARK, DE, USA
N122HA
ENSTROM 280C
THE PILOT DID A STEEP APPROACH AND CAME TO A HOVER OVER AN AREA OF HIGH VEGETATION. SHE THEN STARTED A RIGHT 90 DEGREE TURN TO HOVER TAXI TO THE HELIPAD. THE PILOT STATED THE HELICOPTER 'WENT INTO 360 DEGREE SPINS IN A MATTER OF SECONDS,' LANDED IN BRUSH, AND ROLLED ONTO ITS LEFT SIDE. THE PILOT TOLD THE FAA THAT WHILE IN THE TURN TO THE HELIPAD SHE NEGLECTED TO ADD THROTTLE BEFORE PULLING UP ON THE COLLECTIVE (POWER), NOTICED THE RPM WAS LOW AND COULD NOT MAKE A RECOVERY. THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT ANY MECHANICAL PROBLEMS, AND NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND WITH THE HELICOPTER OR THE ENGINE. THE PILOT'S TOTAL FLIGHT HOURS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE 107.5, ALL IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL HELICOPTER, AND 26.7 HOURS WERE AS PILOT-IN-COMMAND.
On May 13, 1995, about 1105 eastern daylight time, an Enstrom 280C, helicopter, N122HA, collided with the terrain, while at a hover at a heliport near Newark, Delaware. The private pilot was not injured. The helicopter was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The local, personal flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot stated, on the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, that she had performed a "steep approach" heading to the north and came to a hover over an area of high vegetation. She then started a right 90 degree turn to hover taxi to the helipad. The pilot stated that the helicopter "went into 360 degree spins in a matter of seconds," landed in brush, and then rolled onto its left side. According to the FAA Inspector's statement: The pilot stated, that while in a hover prior to landing, while in a turn to the [helipad] she neglected to add throttle before pulling up on the collective (power), noticed the rpm was low and could not make a recovery. The helicopter landed and rolled slowly onto its left side...A review of maintenance records...[revealed] no discrepancies...nor did the pilot report any mechanical problems with the helicopter. The pilot's total flight time at the time of the accident was 107.5 hours, all in this make and model helicopter, with 26.7 hours were as pilot-in-command. The Wilmington weather, reported at 1055, was; clear below 12,000 feet, visibility 10 miles, wind 010 degrees at 5 knots, temperature 71 degrees F, dew point 51 degrees F, altimeter 29.94 inches Hg.
The pilot's improper use of throttle and collective controls, resulting in the loss of rotor rpm and the inflight loss of control.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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