Helicopteres Guimbal CABRI G2 accident near Cahokia Heights, Illinois, October 2, 2023
On October 2, 2023 at about 8:57 pm local time, a 2016 Helicopteres Guimbal CABRI G2, registered N354MH, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (hover) near Cahokia Heights, Illinois (St. Louis Downtown Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s failure to maintain helicopter control which resulted in impact with the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 2, 2023 · about 8:57 pm local time · cases in 2023
- Place
- Cahokia Heights, Illinois · St. Louis Downtown Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Helicopteres Guimbal CABRI G2, built 2016 · all CABRI G2s on the register
- Registration
- N354MH · registry record · serial 1149
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The operator reported that the student pilot had completed three solo touch and go landings and was returning to land on the ramp. While approaching the parking area, he was distracted by two aircraft on the ramp, and the helicopter began an uncontrolled yaw. The student pilot lowered the collective and arrested the yaw, but as the helicopter entered ground effect, he raised the collective, and the uncontrolled yaw resumed. The helicopter impacted the ground and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, main rotor, and tail rotor. The operator reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter 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 uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 54 hours in all; 54 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,467.1 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 21, 2023; 27.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,543 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-J2A (piston); 2,162 hours total
- Operator: Ideal Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KCPS
Weather report (METAR): KCPS 022053Z 13003KT 10SM CLR 31/13 A3012 RMK AO2 SLP196 T03060128 56022 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Forward View of Accident Aircraft
Photograph 2 – View of Substantial Damage to Helicopter FuselageThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on May 3, 2024. 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 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N354MH on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Helicopteres Guimbal CABRI G2 69 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Helicopteres Guimbal 69 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-J2A 254 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- St. Louis Downtown Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Illinois 2,118 since 1982 · 251 in the last ten years
- Illinois 8,071 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN24LA005.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.