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WPR22LA205

2022-06-02 · Reno, Nevada, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Current FAA registration · N91JK

Make / Model
BELL HH-1H
Seats / Engines
15 seats · 1 engine
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S AC9524

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s loss of control following the inadvertent placement of his foot behind the anti-torque pedal.

Factual narrative

The two pilots were practicing pinnacle landings and takeoffs on a hilltop. The pilot in command (PIC) in the right seat was performing a takeoff when the helicopter encountered a wind gust that resulted in a right yaw. The PIC applied left anti-torque pedal to arrest the yaw when his left heel slipped off the front end of the footrest. His foot became wedged between the pedal and footrest, which resulted in an uncontrollable left spin. The PIC reduced collective, and the helicopter landed hard. The landing skids collapsed on landing, substantially damaging the fuselage and tail. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Gusts-Response/compensation
  • — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot
  • — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Yaw control-Not attained/maintained

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2022_WPR22LA205.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (icing, loss of control). All research papers