Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot performed one hover successfully, and set the helicopter down. During the second hover attempt, the helicopter spun to the right, and the skids contacted the ground. The helicopter 'rocked on its nose,' and the main rotor blades hit the ground. The pilot reported no mechanical deficiencies with the helicopter. The winds reported at the airport were from 190 degrees, at 10 knots.
Source record
Factual narrative
On May 23, 2000, about 1600 Eastern Daylight Time, a Heli-Eagle Ultrasport 496, N9258H, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain while hovering at the Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport (PHF), Newport News, Virginia. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local company flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the pilot, at 1400, he hovered the helicopter to the "Nike site," a grassy area at PHF. He performed two traffic patterns and then shut the helicopter down, because of a "fairly stiff wind." At 1600, the pilot returned to the "Nike site" to perform additional hover work. He performed the first hover successfully, and set the helicopter down. During the second hover attempt, the wind spun the helicopter to the right, and the skids contacted the ground. The helicopter "rocked on its nose," and the main rotor blades hit the ground. The pilot reported no mechanical deficiencies with the helicopter. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector, who examined the helicopter after the accident, reported substantial damage to the main rotors, the tail rotor, and the "bubble" of the helicopter. Additionally, both skids were bent upward 90 degrees. The winds reported at the airport, at 1548, were from 190 degrees, at 10 knots. The pilot reported that he had accumulated about 4,500 hours of flight experience, all in helicopters, of which about 34 hours were in make and model. He also reported that during the 90 days previous to the accident, he had flown 11.3 hours, of which 1 hour was in make and model.