NTSB CAROL · Event
Event CHI90LA067
Registry · N90836
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
BRIAN JAMES F BUCCANEER
Year of manufacture
1995
Engine
BOMBARDIER ROTAX (ALL)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19950930
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S AC8FC4
Registrant of record
BRIAN JAMES F
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
THE HELICOPTER STUDENT'S IPROPER USE OF THE COLLECTIVE PITCH LEVER DURING THE LANDING PHASE OF FLIGHT. THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPEREINCE, THE RELATIVELY HIGH WIND, AND INADVERTENT LIFTOFF OF THE HELICOPTER WERE FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT.
Factual narrative
THE PRIVATE PILOT RATED HELICOPTER STUDENT WAS PERFORMING THE FIRST LANDING ON HIS FIRST SOLO HELICOPTER FLIGHT, WHILE HIS INSTRUCTOR OBSERVED FROM THE GROUND. THE HELICOPTER STUDENT REPORTED THAT HE WAS LANDING INTO 15 KNOT WINDS, AND STATED THAT THE 'AIRCRAFT WAS SET TO THE GROUND SLOWLY...(HOWEVER) I DID NOT PLACE (COLLECTIVE) FIRMLY ON THE FLOOR. AIRCRAFT WAS LIGHT ON SKIDS AIRCRAFT ROTATED LEFT...OVER CONTROL (RESULTED IN A) TAIL STRIKE...LOSS OF ANTI-TORQUE CONTROL...' THE HELICOPTER ROTATED 360 DEGREES BEFORE THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE GROUND AND THE HELICOPTER CAME TO A REST ON ITS SIDE. THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK RECORDS INDICATED 3,693 HOURS TOTAL FLIGHT TIME, INCLUDING 15 HOURS OF ROTORCRAFT EXPERIENCE. THE 15 HOURS OF ROTORCRAFT FLIGHT TIME WERE ACQUIRED IN THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT WITHIN THE 30 DAYS PRECEDING THE ACCIDENT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1990_CHI90LA067.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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