Schulman Mosquito XEL accident near Halifax, MA
On September 19, 2010, a Schulman Mosquito XEL (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Halifax, MA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- September 19, 2010
- Place
- Halifax, MA
- Aircraft
- Schulman Mosquito XEL · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 42.025°N, 70.838°W
- NTSB ID
- 20100919X72723
Official records · ERA10LA488
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On September 19, 2010, at about 1307 eastern daylight time, an unregistered, experimental, amateur-built, Schulman Mosquito XEL helicopter, owned and operated by a private individual, incurred substantial damage by post crash fire after colliding with trees in a heavily wooded area near East Monponsett Pond, Halifax, Massachusetts. The pilot died in a hospital 24 days after the accident. No flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, personal flight. The helicopter departed from Cranland Airport (28M), Hanson, Massachusetts, about half mile from the accident site, earlier that day. Witnesses on a nearby lake observed the helicopter flying over and around the lake; flying low at times. The helicopter then maneuvered over a swamp area with trees and was seen hovering just above the trees. It was observed yawing its tail boom section left and right about 15 degrees each way; followed by the tipping of its main rotor blades left and right. The helicopter then went into a spin and nosed over impacting the trees. A representative of the Mosquito aircraft manufacturer and training facility in Florida stated to the responding Federal Aviation Administration inspector that the pilot purchased the aircraft as a kit from them in 2009 and received a service offer to customers where the owner/builder can assemble the helicopter kit under the supervision of the kit manufacturer. The manufacturer also offered 10 hours of initial flight training in the helicopter, which the pilot declined stating he
Probable cause
The pilot's loss of control while hovering. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s limited experience operating the helicopter make and model.
More accidents in MA
- Gulfstream Aerospace G IV, Jun 1, 2014
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Browse: Massachusetts
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
