Robinson R66 N64HF

Summary

On 22 December 2014 at about 13:40 local time, a Robinson R66 registered N64HF, operated by Hillsboro Ford Inc, was involved in an accident near Henniker, New Hampshire, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 December 2014 at 13:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Henniker, New Hampshire, United States

Coordinates

43.1806, -71.8333

Aircraft

Robinson R66

Registration

N64HF

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2013

Engines

1

Operator

Hillsboro Ford Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Laconia → Henniker

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA15CA079

Nobody was injured.

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB 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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.