ROBINSON R22
Portland, OR — September 30, 2010
Event Information
| Date | September 30, 2010 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | WPR10CA478 |
| Event ID | 20100930X45434 |
| Location | Portland, OR |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 45.54055, -122.95000 |
| Airport | Portland-Hillsboro Airport |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | ROBINSON |
| Model | R22 |
| 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 student pilot's decision to hover-taxi behind a jet, resulting in the helicopter encountering jet wash and rolling over.
Full Narrative
The pilot said he was returning to his home airport when the accident occurred. On final approach, the pilot noted another helicopter was at the parking area, so he altered his course towards taxiway "Alpha" and finished his approach coming to a hover about 3 to 5 feet above the ground. He then commenced to hover-taxi to his parking spot. The student pilot stated that in order to reach his intended parking spot he would have to pass behind an Embraer jet that was holding short of the runway. The pilot reported that he was not expecting the jet blast produced by the turbine engines, and as the helicopter passed behind the airplane, it yawed to the left and rolled onto its side, impacting the ground. According to witnesses, the accident helicopter passed 10 meters (33 feet) behind the jet, at an altitude of about 3 feet above the ground.
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.