NTSB ATL07CA037 — 2007-02-03 · Griffin, Georgia, United States

N491AE has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON CANADA 407, built 1998), which was not involved in this event.

Aircraft involved

N491AE Eurocopter France EC120B None

Probable cause & findings

The first pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the helicopter during hover in ground effect, and the second pilot's (a certificated flight instructor), delayed remedial action, which resulted in an in-flight collision with the ground. A factor associated with the accident was the first pilot's failure to relinquish the flight controls.

Factual narrative

According to the certified flight instructor (CFI), the helicopter-rated passengers were friends of the helicopter owner. The owner agreed to let both passengers pilot his helicopter with the CFI. After the first flight around the airport pattern, the front passenger exchanged seats with the rear passenger, who moved into the right front seat next to the CFI. The CFI then instructed the pilot to bring the helicopter to a hover. The pilot lifted the helicopter to a hover and it began to rotate to the left. The CFI instructed the pilot to "add right pedal, add right pedal", but the helicopter continued to rotate to the left. The CFI attempted to apply pressure on the right pedal, but the pilot "panicked and froze" on the flight controls. The CFI stated that he yelled to the pilot, "I have the controls", but the pilot did not respond. The CFI stated that he was unable to overcome the pilot's strength on the flight controls. The helicopter's tail rotor struck the ground, and the helicopter rolled over on its right side. The pilot and CFI did not report any mechanical or flight control anomalies with the helicopter. Examination of the helicopter revealed the tail boom separated from the fuselage and main rotor blades were destroyed. According to the certificated flight instructor (CFI), the helicopter-rated passengers were friends of the helicopter owner. The owner agreed to let both passengers pilot his helicopter with the CFI. After the first flight around the airport pattern, the front passenger exchanged seats with the rear passenger, who moved into the right front seat next to the CFI. The CFI then instructed the pilot to bring the helicopter to a hover. The pilot lifted the helicopter to a hover, and it began to rotate to the left. The CFI instructed the pilot to "add right pedal, add right pedal", but the helicopter continued to rotate to the left. The CFI attempted to apply pressure on the right pedal, but the pilot "panicked and froze" on the flight controls. The CFI stated that he yelled to the pilot, "I have the controls", but the pilot did not respond. The CFI stated that he was unable to overcome the pilot's strength on the flight controls. The helicopter's tail rotor struck the ground, and the helicopter rolled over on its right side. The pilot and CFI did not report any mechanical or flight control anomalies with the helicopter. Examination of the helicopter revealed the tail boom separated from the fuselage and main rotor blades were destroyed. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2007_ATL07CA037.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

External sources are reported, not agency: signal that something happened, not fact about what happened.