Continental Copters TOMCAT MK5A N9045T

Summary

On 14 June 2015 at about 20:00 local time, a Continental Copters TOMCAT MK5A registered N9045T, operated by Churchill, Scott, was involved in an accident near Elk Mound, Wisconsin, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

14 June 2015 at 20:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Elk Mound, Wisconsin, United States

Coordinates

44.7764, -91.7419

Aircraft

Continental Copters TOMCAT MK5A

Registration

N9045T

Category

Helicopter

Year built

1975

Engines

1

Operator

Churchill, Scott

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Elk Mound → Elk Mound

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA15CA122

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain a positive rate of climb after taking off from the service truck, which resulted in the helicopter impacting terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported he was conducting aerial agricultural operations in his helicopter and that he landed on the bed of the service truck. He reported that fungicide was added to the hopper, and he picked up off of the service truck to take off. As he nosed the helicopter over to pass through effective translational lift (ETL), he reported that he pulled in collective to climb, and that "I noticed wasn't gaining lift and was settling through ETL." The helicopter impacted a crop field and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and to the tail rotor drive shaft. The pilot verified that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.