Pzl-Swidnik SW-4 accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, January 15, 2012
On January 15, 2012 at about 6:23 pm local time, a Pzl-Swidnik SW-4 (helicopter), registered SPSSW, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (hover) near Fairbanks, Alaska (Fairbanks Internation airport). It was a flight test under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of control during a simulated hydraulic emergency, which resulted in an inadvertent dynamic rollover from the which the pilot could not recover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 15, 2012 · about 6:23 pm local time
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska · Fairbanks Internation · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pzl-Swidnik SW-4
- Registration
- SPSSW · no longer on the register · serial 600401
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a hover test above the departure end of the runway, the flight test technician turned the hydraulics system off to simulate an in-flight hydraulic failure. During a series of prearranged hover maneuvers, the pilot began to hover the helicopter to the left, at which time, the cyclic and collective became very "stiff and ratchety," which was followed by a forward and left movement of the cyclic that the pilot was unable to physically overcome. The helicopter subsequently descended, the left skid struck the runway, and the helicopter rolled onto its left side, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, tail boom, and main rotor drive system. A postaccident examination revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering (hover) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (hover)
- Dynamic rollover during maneuvering (hover)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › (general) › Pilot
- cause main system › Simulated malf/failure
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, foreign licence
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 14,625 hours in all; 1,600 in this make and model; 202 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days; 19,190 as pilot in command; 2,640 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 7, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 242 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 25, 2011; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,968 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royce 250 C20R (turboshaft); 528 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FAI Fairbanks AK at 5:15 pm
- Destination: FAI Fairbanks AK
- Runway 02L, 11,800 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,100 ft; a few clouds at 500 ft
- Temperature: -36°F (-38°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 31.04 inHg
- Observation at 6:32 pm from PAFA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.