# Accident 19971115033039A: Robsin R22BETA, Lubbock, TX, November 15, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 15, 1997, 11:00 local time
- Place: Lubbock, TX
- Airport: Town & Country Airpark Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.5302° N, 101.7895° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.5302&lon=-101.7895&mi=10
- Aircraft: N26026, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N26026-2017-06-07) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA (registry code 7640110, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBSIN R22BETA
- Reported engine: LYC O320B2C
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 20 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW98LA049](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA049) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971115033039A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

WIND GUST TURNED HELICOPTER. R22 BEGAN UNCONTROLLABLE RIGHT TURN. HIT A FENCE. ROLLED OVER. CHOPPED TAILBOOM. (.4)THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD ESTABLISHED AN OUT-OF-GROUND-EFFECT HOVER AT 200 FEET AGL. HE FURTHER REPORTED THAT, THE 'WIND TURNED THE SHIP TO THE RIGHT ABRUPTLY,' TO A WESTERLY HEADING. TO CORRECT, HE APPLIED LEFT PEDAL, 'BUT NOT ENOUGH' AND THE HELICOPTER BEGAN 'TO LOSE ALTITUDE AND CONTROL,' SO HE RELEASED PRESSURE ON THE LEFT PEDAL, THINKING HE HAD COMPENSATED INCORRECTLY. AS THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED TURNING TO THE RIGHT, HE BEGAN TO APPLY LEFT PEDAL. AS THE HELICOPTER KEPT TURNING TO THE RIGHT, THE PILOT APPLIED FULL LEFT PEDAL. THE DESCENT CONTINUED, AND THE HELICOPTER COMPLETED ANOTHER 360 DEGREE TURN AND CONTACTED A FENCE. THE PILOT ESTIMATED THE WINDS WERE FROM 010 DEGREES AT 8 KNOTS. NO CONTROL SYSTEM ANOMALY WAS FOUND. PERFORMANCE CHARTS INDICATED THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS WITHIN IT'S FLIGHT ENVELOPE DURING THE HOVER.                                                (-23) AT APPROXIMATELY 150' AGL, WHILE ATTEMPTING A RH PEDAL TURN INTO A RESULTING LOW ALTITUDE HOVER, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A SLIGHT LOSS IN TAIL ROT                                        OR EFFECTIVENESS DUE AN 8 KNOT QUARTERING RH TAILWIND AND FAILED TO APPLY SUFFICIENT LH ANTI-TORQUE PEDAL PRESSURE WHICH CAUSED THE HELICOPTER TO CONTINUE IN A PERPETUAL RH TURN. THE PILOT ALSO FAILED TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AFT CYCLIC INPUT, SO THE AIRCRAFT RAPIDLY DESCENDED UNTIL IT IMPACTED A TUBULAR STEEL AND CHAIN LINK FENCE AND TERRAIN.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW98LA049](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA049), Nov 15, 1997: Robinson R22 Beta (N26026), Lubbock, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: failure of the student pilot to maintain control of the helicopter during hover out-of-ground-effect. A related factor was: the student pilot's lack of experience in flying helicopters.

## Other reports on N26026 (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19900930059289I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900930059289I), Sep 30, 1990: Robsin R22BETA (N26026), Hiawassee, GA, Minor damage. On approach the helicopter began to settle. Made a hard landing.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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