Sands HELICYCLE accident near Reno, NV
On April 13, 2014, a Sands HELICYCLE (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Reno, NV. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- April 13, 2014
- Place
- Reno, NV
- Aircraft
- Sands HELICYCLE · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 39.668°N, 119.868°W
- NTSB ID
- 20140414X14114
Official records · WPR14FA167
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn April 13, 2014, about 1209 Pacific daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Sands Helicycle, N78CS, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain while maneuvering near the Reno-Stead Airport (RTS), Reno, Nevada. The helicopter was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The student pilot, sole occupant of the single-seat helicopter, sustained fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight, which originated from RTS at 1204. Witnesses located adjacent to the accident site reported observing two helicopters fly along a taxiway about 15 feet above ground level (agl) on a southerly heading while in trail from one another. As the helicopters made a left turn to an easterly heading, they ascended to about 500 feet agl. As both helicopters turned to a northerly heading, the lead helicopter began to "pull away" from the second helicopter. Witnesses stated that the second helicopter suddenly pitched downward towards the ground. Subsequently, the helicopter impacted terrain about 1,425 feet northeast of the threshold of runway 32. One witness added that the accident helicopter "shuttered a couple of times, [and] then dove at the ground" while rolling in a clockwise rotation. The pilot of the lead helicopter reported that the accident pilot and he departed from the west hangars to the east along taxiway Alpha. He stated that the accident pilot intended to follow him on a left traffic pattern for runway 08. As he turn
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the helicopter while in the traffic pattern.
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Browse: Nevada
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
