Heli-Eagle Inc. ULTRASPORT 496 accident near Newport News, Virginia, May 23, 2000
On May 23, 2000 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Heli-Eagle Inc. ULTRASPORT 496 (helicopter), registered N9258H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Newport News, Virginia (Newport News/Williamsburg airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 2000 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Newport News, Virginia · Newport News/Williamsburg · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Heli-Eagle Inc. ULTRASPORT 496 ULTRASPORT
- Registration
- N9258H · registry record · serial 00025
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot performed one hover successfully, and set the helicopter down. During the second hover attempt, the helicopter spun to the right, and the skids contacted the ground. The helicopter 'rocked on its nose,' and the main rotor blades hit the ground. The pilot reported no mechanical deficiencies with the helicopter. The winds reported at the airport were from 190 degrees, at 10 knots.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,500 hours in all; 34 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 148 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 22, 2000; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,130 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Hirth F30 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PHF at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:48 pm from PHF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC00LA142.