# Accident 19971216039009A: Robsin R22BETA, Pittsburgh, PA, December 16, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 16, 1997, 12:30 local time
- Place: Pittsburgh, PA
- Airport: Allegheny County
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.1192° N, 79.8595° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.1192&lon=-79.8595&mi=10
- Aircraft: N55TP, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N55TP-1999-05-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA (registry code 7640110, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBSIN R22BETA
- Reported engine: LYC HIO360*
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 1,800 total, 100 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC98LA043](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC98LA043) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971216039009A

## Narrative

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

ROBINSON R-22 HELI WAS POSITIONING FOR AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY WHEN THE TAIL ROTOR APPEARED TO BE LOST. BELLE VERNO,PA.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              (.4)THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING AN OUT-OF-GROUND-EFFECT HOVER WITH A 10 KNOT TAILWIND IN A ROBINSON R-22. WHEN THE PILOT RAISED THE COLLECTIVE TO MANEUVER, AND THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SPIN TO THE RIGHT.  THE HELICOPTER SPUN FOUR TIMES, DESCENDED, AND IMPACTED THE GROUND.  THE PILOT HAD ABOUT 100 HOURS OF HELICOPTER EXPERIENCE, AND ABOUT 10 HOURS OF OUT-OF-GROUND-EFFECT HOVER EXPERIENCE.  AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT TOLD A POLICE OFFICER THAT HE EXCEEDED THE LIMITATIONS OF THE TAIL ROTOR.  FAA ADVISORY CIRCULAR (AC) 90-95 STATED ALL SINGLE MAIN ROTOR HELICOPTERS WERE SUSCEPTIBLE TO LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS (LTE).  THE AC ADVISED PILOTS THAT WHEN MANEUVERING BETWEEN HOVER AND 30 KNOTS TO AVOID; TAILWINDS, OUT OF GROUND EFFECT HOVER AND HIGH POWER DEMAND SUCH AS LOWSPEED DOWNWIND TURNS.  IT ALSO ADVISED THE PILOTS TO BE AWARE OF WIND DIRECTION AND VELOCITY.  IN 1995, THE FAA SENT A LETTER TO ALL U.S HELICOPTER MANUFACTURES RECOMMENDING THEY INCLUDE A DISCUSSION ON LTE IN THE OPERATOR'S HANDBOOKS AND FLIGHT MANUALS. THE ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY HAS NOT COMPLIED WITH THAT REQUEST.

## 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 NYC98LA043](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC98LA043), Dec 16, 1997: Robinson R22 Beta (N55TP), Belle Vernon, PA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's improper out-of-ground hover procedure, which resulted in a loss of tailrotor effectiveness.

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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