ROBINSON HELICOPTER CO R66
Henniker, NH — December 22, 2014
Event Information
| Date | December 22, 2014 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | ERA15CA079 |
| Event ID | 20141222X43102 |
| Location | Henniker, NH |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 43.18056, -71.83334 |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | ROBINSON HELICOPTER CO |
| Model | R66 |
| Category | HELI |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 1 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while landing, which resulted in a collision with a snow bank. Contributing to the accident was ice that covered the landing surface.
Full Narrative
The pilot was landing the helicopter at a private heliport. The outside air temperature was about -1 degree Celsius (C). After a normal touchdown, the helicopter began to spin and the tail rotor struck a snow bank, which resulted in substantial damage to the tail rotor and lower vertical stabilizer. After exiting the helicopter, the pilot noted that the ground was coated with "black ice." The pilot reported that he did not experience any malfunctions or failures of the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. He further reported about 635 hours of rotorcraft flight experience, which included 85 hours in the same make and model as the accident helicopter.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.