Mosquito XEL UNREG

Summary

On 21 January 2018 at about 20:45 local time, a Mosquito XEL registered UNREG was involved in an accident near Loxahatchee, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 January 2018 at 20:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Loxahatchee, Florida, United States

Coordinates

26.7294, -80.3117

Aircraft

Mosquito XEL

Registration

UNREG

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2017

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Loxahatchee → Loxahatchee

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA18LA082

1 person was seriously injured.

The noncertificated pilot's failure to maintain helicopter control during takeoff. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's lack of recent flight experience and his lack of training and experience in the accident helicopter make and model.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The noncertificated pilot, who was also the owner of the unregistered, single-seat helicopter, was practicing takeoffs, hovers, and landings; it was his first flight in the accident helicopter. After the first successful takeoff and landing, the pilot attempted to perform another takeoff. During the second takeoff attempt, the helicopter gained altitude and began yawing left. The helicopter climbed to about 60 ft and continued to yaw, and it then descended and impacted terrain. Although the pilot had received about 60 hours of dual flight instruction in two other make and model helicopters during the previous 2 years, he had not received instruction in the accident make and model helicopter. Given that the pilot's most recent logged flight experience with an instructor occurred nearly 17 months before the accident and that this was his first flight in the accident helicopter, it is likely that his lack of recent flight experience and lack of training and experience in the accident helicopter make and model contributed to his inability to maintain helicopter control.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.