19970806021269A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robsin R22 BETA · Willimantic, CT · August 6, 1997

Date: August 6, 1997 · 12:20 local
Place: Willimantic, CT
Airport: Windham Airport
Phase of flight: Hovering
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: FVGS
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N717GT
NTSB investigation: NTSBIAD97LA106
Reported as: Robsin R22BETA
Reported engine: Lycoming O320B2C
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 363 total357 in this make and model26 in the last 90 days

N717GTRegistration cancelled Jun 3, 1999 · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETAS/N 1422 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 BETA

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.

Helicopter landed hard, sustained damage to rotor and tail boom. (.4)the student pilot flew his first two flights with another instructor. After practicing various maneuvers and while hovering at about 10 feet AGL with a new instructor, the student pilot was asked to return to their home airport to practice auto rotations. The student pilot turned the throttle to idle and the helicopter impacted the ground before the instructor could recover. The student pilot stated that he mistakenly thought the instructor requested an auto rotation from their present location, as he had done on his previous flights. No mechanical problems were reported by the instructor or the student.

As the FAA filed it

HELICOPTER LANDED HARD, SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO ROTOR AND TAIL BOOM. (.4)THE STUDENT PILOT FLEW HIS FIRST TWO FLIGHTS WITH ANOTHER INSTRUCTOR. AFTER PRACTICING VARIOUS MANEUVERS AND WHILE HOVERING AT ABOUT 10 FEET AGL WITH A NEW INSTRUCTOR, THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ASKED TO RETURN TO THEIR HOME AIRPORT TO PRACTICE AUTO ROTATIONS. THE STUDENT PILOT TURNED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE AND THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND BEFORE THE INSTRUCTOR COULD RECOVER. THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT HE MISTAKENLY THOUGHT THE INSTRUCTOR REQUESTED AN AUTO ROTATION FROM THEIR PRESENT LOCATION, AS HE HAD DONE ON HIS PREVIOUS FLIGHTS. NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE REPORTED BY THE INSTRUCTOR OR THE STUDENT.

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 IAD97LA106Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWillimantic, CTThe student pilot misunderstood the flight instructor's instructions and reduced the engine power to idle, and the Certificated Flight Instructor's delayed remedial action.Aug 6, 1997 · Substantial damage