# Accident 20000727039819A: Robsin R22BETA, Phoenix, AZ, July 27, 2000 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: July 27, 2000, 09:00 local time - Place: Phoenix, AZ - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Other Ground Ops - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 33.6903° N, 111.9994° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6903&lon=-111.9994&mi=10 - Aircraft: N888KB, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N888KB-2013-05-20) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA (registry code 7640110, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ROBSIN R22BETA - Reported engine: LYC O360* - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX00LA279](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA279) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000727039819A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23)DURING SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT STUDENT PILOT LANDED IN A DESERT AREA USED AS A PRACTICE LANDING SITE. AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE AIRCRAFT REMAINED ON THE GROUND FOR ABOUT A MINUTE AT IDLE. AFTER APPLYING POWER FOR TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY AND THE PILOT SHUT DOWN THE AIRCRAFT. INSPECTION OF THE HELICOPTER REVEALED A DAMAGE TAIL ROTOR AND GEAR BOX, ONE TAIL ROTOR BLADE HAD SEPARATED AND WAS FOUND SEVERAL YARDS AWAY. THE DAMAGE PARTS WERE SENT TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR EVALUATION. (.4) ON JULY 27, 2000, AT 0900 HOURS MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A ROBINSON R-22 BETA, N888KB, EXPERIENCED A TAIL ROTOR FAILURE WHILE STANDING WITH THE ENGINE AND ROTORS IDLING IN A FIELD NEAR PHOENIX, ARIZONA. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE; HOWEVER, THE STUDENT PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED AS AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT BY UNIVERSAL HELICOPTERS, INC., UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED IN WICKENBURG, ARIZONA, EARLIER THAT MORNING. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE INTENDED TO LAND IN A FIELD USED BY THE O PERATOR AS A PRACTICE AREA IN ORDER TO MAKE SOME ENTRIES IN HIS NAVIGATIONAL LOG. HE INITIATED HIS APPROACH TO THE CENTER OF A FIELD, TERMINATING AT A 5-FOOT HOVER. HE THEN HOVERED FORWARD ABOUT 150 FEET LOOKING FOR A SMOOTH, LEVEL SURFACE ON WHICH TO TOUCH DOWN. AFTER SELECTING HIS TOUCHDOWN POINT, HE PERFORMED A 360-DEGREE PEDAL TURN TO DETERMINE WIND DIRECTION AND MAKE CERTAIN HE WOULD BE LANDING INTO THE WIND. HE PERFORMED A SMOOTH TOUCHDOWN, REDUCED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE, TURNED THE GOVERNOR OFF, AND SET THE CONTROL FRICTIONS. HE WAS AT IDLE FOR ABOUT A MINUTE, ENTERING HIS FLIGHT TIME ON HIS CROSS-COUNTRY LOG AND DETERMINING THE HEADING FOR THE FINAL LEG BACK TO SCOTTSDALE AIRPORT. IN PREPARATION FOR DEPARTURE, THE PILOT RELEASED THE CONTROL FRICTIONS AND BEGAN TO INCREASE THE THROTTLE. AS THE POWER APPROACHED 95 PERCENT, BUT BEFORE ENGAGING THE GOVERNOR, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY AND THE ANTITORQUE PEDALS BEGAN TO MOVE UNDER HIS FEET. HE IMMEDIATELY REDUCED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE, TOOK OUT THE CHECKLIST, AND SHUTDOWN THE AIRCRAFT PER THE INSTRUCTIONS. AFTER SHUTDOWN, THE PILOT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND INSPECTED IT FOR DAMAGE. HE NOTED VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE TAIL ROTOR AND VERTICAL STABILIZER. HE THEN NOTIFIED THE OPERATOR BY CELL PHONE AND STAYED WITH THE AIRCRAFT UNTIL HELP ARRIVED. ## 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 LAX00LA279](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA279), Jul 27, 2000: Robinson R-22 Beta (N888KB), Phoenix, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The helicopter had a tail rotor failure. The reason for the failure is undetermined. ## Other reports on N888KB (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20021223034439A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20021223034439A), Dec 23, 2002: Robsin R22BETA (N888KB), Dolansprings, AZ, Destroyed, 2 fatal. (.19) On December 23, 2002, at 1137 mountain standard time, a Robinson R22 beta, N888KB, collided with power lines and impacted desert terrain near dolan… 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.