Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate weather evaluation, which resulted in a downwind landing, and his failure to maintain aircraft control. A factor was the tailwind.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The winds had been 'light, but had changed direction and were starting to gust' when the pilot landed for fuel. He decided he had time to practice some additional maneuvers, so he took off to the south. He heard another pilot announce he was departing on runway 16 so when he decided to land, he entered the traffic pattern for runway 16. He said he was about 10 feet off the ground and at a speed of 10 knots when the helicopter 'just drop[ped] out of transitional lift. . .All of a sudden, [the] tail came up [and the] nose went down. [I] pulled back and up on [the] collective [control], but could not recover.' The pilot reported that the wind had shifted from the south to the north, and told an FAA inspector that it 'push[ed] me down and flip[ped] me over.' The helicopter began to spun, struck the ground, and rolled over.
Source record
Factual narrative
On July 16, 2000, approximately 1250 mountain daylight time, a Carlston Rotorway Executive 162F, N6399L, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain during landing at Tooele-Bolinder Field/Tooele Valley Airport, Tooele, Utah. The student pilot, the sole occupant aboard, received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the instructional flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Tooele at an unknown time. According to the pilot's accident report, after practicing flight maneuvers he landed for fuel. The winds had been "light, but had changed direction and were starting to gust." He decided he had time to practice some additional maneuvers, so he took off to the south. He heard another pilot announce he was departing on runway 16 so when he decided to land, he entered the traffic pattern for runway 16. He said he was about 10 feet off the ground and at a speed of 10 knots when the helicopter "just drop[ped] out of transitional (sic) lift. . .All of a sudden, [the] tail came up [and the] nose went down. [I] pulled back and up on [the] collective [control], but could not recover." The pilot reported that the wind had shifted from the south to the north. When an FAA inspector examined the helicopter, the pilot told him the wind shifted, "pushing me down and flipping me over." The helicopter began to spin, struck the ground, and rolled over. The fuselage was extensively damaged and the main rotor blades were destroyed.