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19980521010369A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Robsin R22 BETA · San Luis Obispo, CA · May 21, 1998

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
May 21, 1998 · 19:24 local
Place
San Luis Obispo, CA
Airport
San Luis Obispo County
Phase of flight
Autorot Descent (Rotorcraft)
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N2312N
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX98LA170
Reported as
Robsin R22BETA
Reported engine
Lycoming O320B2C
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
362 total362 in this make and model113 in the last 90 days
N2312NRegistered now · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETAS/N 2018 · Built 1991Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 BETAEngine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

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.

During hover moved backward and left. Skid caught runway surface. Turned left and rolled over. (.4)the flight instructor asked the student to demonstrate an autorotation from a hover approximately 2 to 3 feet high. The CFI stayed on the controls throughout the maneuver. After they closed the throttle, the helicopter moved backwards and to the left. As the helicopter touched the ground, the rear portion of the left skid became imbedded in the runway surface and the aircraft rolled over onto its left side. The aircraft came to rest approximately 180 degrees from its original heading. The winds at the time were reported to be from a direction of 310 degrees at a velocity of 18 knots gusting to 22 knots. The CFI reported that they conducted all their maneuvers into the wind. (-23)while practicing hover autorotations the helicopter struck the ground while miving backwards and to the left. The left rear corner of the skid caught the surface of the runway and the momentum of the aircraft caused it to turn to the left and flip over and settler on its' left side. The winds were reported to be 18 knots gusting from 300 degrees. The aircraft was heading into the wind when the maneuver was initiated. The CFI indicated they were about 3 feet AGL and that the aircraft started the backwards and sideways movement just after, or at the same time they pulled back on the power. The CFI expected the skid to slide, but it did not, and caught the surface and flipped them over.

As the FAA filed it

DURING HOVER MOVED BACKWARD AND LEFT. SKID CAUGHT RUNWAY SURFACE. TURNED LEFT AND ROLLED OVER. (.4)THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ASKED THE STUDENT TO DEMONSTRATE AN AUTOROTATION FROM A HOVER APPROXIMATELY 2 TO 3 FEET HIGH. THE CFI STAYED ON THE CONTROLS THROUGHOUT THE MANEUVER. AFTER THEY CLOSED THE THROTTLE, THE HELICOPTER MOVED BACKWARDS AND TO THE LEFT. AS THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED THE GROUND, THE REAR PORTION OF THE LEFT SKID BECAME IMBEDDED IN THE RUNWAY SURFACE AND THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OVER ONTO ITS LEFT SIDE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 180 DEGREES FROM ITS ORIGINAL HEADING. THE WINDS AT THE TIME WERE REPORTED TO BE FROM A DIRECTION OF 310 DEGREES AT A VELOCITY OF 18 KNOTS GUSTING TO 22 KNOTS. THE CFI REPORTED THAT THEY CONDUCTED ALL THEIR MANEUVERS INTO THE WIND. (-23)WHILE PRACTICING HOVER AUTOROTATIONS THE HELICOPTER STRUCK THE GROUND WHILE MIVING BACKWARDS AND TO THE LEFT. THE LEFT REAR CORNER OF THE SKID CAUGHT THE SURFACE OF THE RUNWAY AND THE MOMENTUM OF THE AIRCRAFT CAUSED IT TO TURN TO THE LEFT AND FLIP OVER AND SETTLER ON ITS' LEFT SIDE. THE WINDS WERE REPORTED TO BE 18 KNOTS GUSTING FROM 300 DEGREES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS HEADING INTO THE WIND WHEN THE MANEUVER WAS INITIATED. THE CFI INDICATED THEY WERE ABOUT 3 FEET AGL AND THAT THE AIRCRAFT STARTED THE BACKWARDS AND SIDEWAYS MOVEMENT JUST AFTER, OR AT THE SAME TIME THEY PULLED BACK ON THE POWER. THE CFI EXPECTED THE SKID TO SLIDE, BUT IT DID NOT, AND CAUGHT THE SURFACE AND FLIPPED THEM OVER.

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 LAX98LA170Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSan Luis Obispo, CAThe flight instructor's inadequate compensation for wind conditions, and his failure to maintain aircraft control. Contributing was wind gusts.May 22, 1998 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N2312N · 1

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

Accident 19930525015159AHovering · Los Angeles, CATail rotor struck a fence after swinging around when student tried to leave hover for forward flight.May 25, 1993 · Substantial damage