Accident · 2013-05-02
What the record says
- Event date
- 2013-05-02
- Event type
- Accident
- Highest injury level
- No injuries
- Aircraft
- ROBINSON R44 II (N442RN)
- Operating rule
- Part 137
- Operator
- LEADING EDGE AVIATION INC Operator named in NTSB report
- Operated by (per NTSB report)
- Leading Edge Aviation
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to ensure that the helicopter was properly loaded, which resulted in the helicopter being in excess of its maximum allowable gross weight and led to a loss of main rotor rpm on takeoff. Contributing to the accident were the ground crewman's inadvertent overloading of the helicopter and the design of the spray tank's visual sight glass, which did not allow the pilot to visually verify the amount of the spray tank load without exiting the helicopter.
Source: NTSB case WPR13LA217Flight crew
Certification and experience as recorded in the NTSB accident database for this event. The NTSB records these facts about the crew's flying history; GroundCheck shows them as filed, without names or identities.
| Role | Certificate | Instrument rating | Age | Medical | Flight hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pilot pilot flying | Commercial | None | 33 | Class 2 (2013-01-22) | 1,911 total · 1,262 in this make/model · 1,871 as PIC · 270 last 90 days |
Facts as the NTSB records them — GroundCheck adds no judgement. Preliminary records may be revised as the investigation proceeds.