19970613023279A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robsin R22BETA · San Antonio, TX · June 13, 1997

Date: June 13, 1997 · 19:35 local
Place: San Antonio, TX
Airport: Stinson Municipal Airport
Phase of flight: Autorot Descent (Rotorcraft)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: H2ES
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N4041W
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW97LA226
Reported as: Robsin R22BETA
Reported engine: Lycoming O320B2C
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 669 total512 in this make and model180 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.4)The flight instructor was instructing the student pilot in straight-in power recovery autorotations to the center sod. The student initiated the maneuver from an altitude of 1,100 feet MSL, and an airspeed of 65 KIAS, with the rotor RPM in the 'green.' During the autorotation, at 40 feet AGL, the student initiated a cyclic flare. 'As the flare continued, the descent rate slowed.' The student 'started to apply forward cyclic to level the helicopter when it started a left yaw.' The flight instructor got on the controls to align the aircraft with the landing direction, and the low rotor RPM warning horn activated. He 'rolled on the throttle and the helicopter yawed quickly to the right.' After he corrected for the yaw the helicopter 'fell approximately 10 to 15 feet straight down.' It 'impacted [the ground] hard to where the skids were spread out and the seats were collapsed down.(.23) see narrative #FTW97LA226.

As the FAA filed it

(.4)THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WAS INSTRUCTING THE STUDENT PILOT IN STRAIGHT-IN POWER RECOVERY AUTOROTATIONS TO THE CENTER SOD. THE STUDENT INITIATED THE MANEUVER FROM AN ALTITUDE OF 1,100 FEET MSL, AND AN AIRSPEED OF 65 KIAS, WITH THE ROTOR RPM IN THE 'GREEN.' DURING THE AUTOROTATION, AT 40 FEET AGL, THE STUDENT INITIATED A CYCLIC FLARE. 'AS THE FLARE CONTINUED, THE DESCENT RATE SLOWED.' THE STUDENT 'STARTED TO APPLY FORWARD CYCLIC TO LEVEL THE HELICOPTER WHEN IT STARTED A LEFT YAW.' THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR GOT ON THE CONTROLS TO ALIGN THE AIRCRAFT WITH THE LANDING DIRECTION, AND THE LOW ROTOR RPM WARNING HORN ACTIVATED. HE 'ROLLED ON THE THROTTLE AND THE HELICOPTER YAWED QUICKLY TO THE RIGHT.' AFTER HE CORRECTED FOR THE YAW THE HELICOPTER 'FELL APPROXIMATELY 10 TO 15 FEET STRAIGHT DOWN.' IT 'IMPACTED [THE GROUND] HARD TO WHERE THE SKIDS WERE SPREAD OUT AND THE SEATS WERE COLLAPSED DOWN.(.23) SEE NARRATIVE #FTW97LA226.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW97LA226Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSan Antonio, TXThe flight instructor's inadequate supervision during the practice autorotation and his failure to maintain rotor RPM.Jun 14, 1997 · Substantial damage