# Accident 19980427016069A: Robsin R22BETA, Sacramento, CA, April 27, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: April 27, 1998, 17:55 local time - Place: Sacramento, CA - Airport: Sacramento Executive Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Sfl Autorotation - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 38.5108° N, 121.4892° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.5108&lon=-121.4892&mi=10 - Aircraft: N805EH, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N805EH) (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: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 3,714 total, 3,685 in this make and model, 134 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98LA146](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA146) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980427016069A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.4) THE INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT WERE PERFORMING AN AUTOROTATION WITH BOTH PILOTS ON THE CONTROLS. AS THE POWER RECOVERY PROGRESSED THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO DESCEND. THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE GROUND AND SLID INTO SOFT MUD. THE TOES OF THE SKIDS SUNK INTO THE GROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT ROCKED FORWARD ONTO ITS NOSE AND THEN FELL ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. BOTH THE INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT WERE ABLE TO EXIT THE AIRCRAFT THROUGH THE LEFT CABIN DOOR WITHOUT ASSISTANCE. THE INSTRUCTOR ATTRIBUTED THE UNINTENDED DESCENT TO HIGH TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY NEAR THE SURFACE. ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER, ROBINSON HELICOPTER SAFETY NOTICE SN-22 WAS ISSUED IN 1986 AND REVISED IN 1994. THE DOCUMENT STATES THAT RATE OF DESCENT, TRIM, AND AIRSPEED ARE ALSO FACTORS THAT EFFECT THE AIRCRAFT'S ABILITY TO TRANSITION TO A HOVER. BY NOT REDUCING THE RATE OF DESCENT BUT INSTEAD REDUCING FORWARD AIRSPEED AND THEN RAISING COLLECTIVE AND ATTEMPTING TO FLARE TO STOP THE RATE OF DESCENT, THE AIRCRAFT FLARES IN ITS OWN DOWNWASH. THIS SEQUENCE INCREASES THE POWER AND COLLECTIVE PITCH REQUIRED TO ARREST THE DESCENT. THE AIRCRAFT BEGINS TO ENTER THE VORTEX RING STATE AND A HARD LANDING OCCURS. THIS CAN OCCUR DURING A STEEP, POWER OFF APPROACH. (-23) CFI AND STUDENT PRACTICED AN ENROUTE AUTOROTATION. CFI ATTEMPTED TO RECOVER THE MANEUVER WITH POWER. AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE GROUND DURING WHICH TIME THE AIRCRAFT HIT A SOFT SPOT AND THE RIGHT SKID CAUGHT AND THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED. NO INJURIES TO CFI AND STUDENT. ## 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 LAX98LA146](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA146), Apr 28, 1998: Robinson R-22 Beta (N805EH), Sacramento, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: the CFI's failure to follow procedures and directives, and the use of an improper technique to transition from an autorotative descent to a hover, which exceeded the aircraft's performance… ## Other reports on N805EH (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20071204828639I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20071204828639I), Dec 4, 2007: Robsin R22BETA (N805EH), Fresno, CA, No damage. (-23) During an instructional helicopter flight, which involved completing three (3) autorotations, the pilot depressed the pedal assembly while on the ground… - [Incident 19961101038029I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961101038029I), Nov 1, 1996: Robsin R22 (N805EH), Rancho Cordova, CA, Minor damage. Narrative: during a training flight, the student pilot accidentally pulled the mixture control instead of the carburetor heat. The student performed an… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.