George W Felix MOSQUITO N849GF

Summary

On 23 September 2019 at about 15:00 local time, a George W Felix MOSQUITO registered N849GF was involved in an accident near Kershaw, South Carolina, 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

23 September 2019 at 15:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Kershaw, South Carolina, United States

Coordinates

34.4961, -80.5319

Aircraft

George W Felix MOSQUITO

Registration

N849GF

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2018

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Kershaw → Kershaw

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA19CA567

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's improper cyclic input during takeoff, which resulted in a loss of helicopter control, the skid impacting the ground, and a subsequent dynamic rollover. 

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot reported that, shortly after takeoff from his private cement pad and about 2 ft above ground level, the helicopter "darted forward and left." He attempted to correct the drift, but the helicopter began "swinging back and forth," the left skid impacted the ground, and the helicopter then dynamically rolled over. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor blades and tailboom. The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. The student added that the he "did not have the cyclic in a neutral position when he lifted off" and that the accident flight was his first flight in the helicopter.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.