Fairchild Heli-Porter PILATUS PC6/B1A-H2 accident near Georgetown, Ohio, November 3, 2012
On November 3, 2012 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Fairchild Heli-Porter PILATUS PC6/B1A-H2, registered N476XP, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (aborted after touchdown) near Georgetown, Ohio (Georgetown airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a loss of control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 3, 2012 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Georgetown, Ohio · Georgetown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild Heli-Porter PILATUS PC6/B1A-H2
- Registration
- N476XP · registry record · serial 2040
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot said he applied full power to go around after a bounced landing. Torque generated by the turboprop engine pulled the airplane to the right, and the pilot stated that he was unable to arrest the turn. The airplane collided with trees, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing, fuselage, vertical stabilizer, both horizontal stabilizers, and the rudder. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane or engine 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 on ground during landing (aborted after touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › (general) › (general) › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 40,000 hours in all; 4,000 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 1, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 47,774 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A SER (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GOS Goshen IN
- Destination: GEO Georgetown OH
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 35
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on December 12, 2012. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.