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20030628013749A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Robsin R22 BETA · Prescott, AZ · June 28, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
June 28, 2003 · 14:30 local
Place
Prescott, AZ
Airport
Ernest A Love Field
Phase of flight
Sfl Autorotation
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N332MD
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX03CA215
Reported as
Robsin R22BETA
Reported engine
Lycoming O360J2A
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
210 total56 in this make and model56 in the last 90 days
N332MDRegistered now · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETAS/N 2991 · Built 1999Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 BETAEngine modelLycoming O&VO-360 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.

(-23) During a check ride and performing autorotations, entering @ 700 ft (AGL) and 70 KIAS, the low nr horn sounded @ 300 ft (AGL) and was corrected with some aft cyclic pitch. The pilot started his flare @ 100 ft (AGL) and at approx. 15 ft (AGL) a power recovery resulted in a r/h yaw attitude at which time the pilot applied left pedal to straighten the vehicle. As this occurred the low nr horn sounded again and the pilot applied throttle and "down" collective. At this point the DPE assumed control of the helicopter, but with the very low altitude, the aft portion of the l/h landing skid contacted the ground bouncing the helicopter back up into the air and down again several times until the forward portion of the l/h landing skid dug into the ground causing the helicopter to rollover onto it's l/h side and coming to rest, substantially damaged. There was no post-crash fire and no injuries to either occupant. Practice site was an open field, flat, soft dirt, and grass - 7 to 8 miles NE of prc.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) DURING A CHECK RIDE AND PERFORMING AUTOROTATIONS, ENTERING @ 700 FT (AGL) AND 70 KIAS, THE LOW NR HORN SOUNDED @ 300 FT (AGL) AND WAS CORRECTED WITH SOME AFT CYCLIC PITCH. THE PILOT STARTED HIS FLARE @ 100 FT (AGL) AND AT APPROX. 15 FT (AGL) A POWER RECOVERY RESULTED IN A R/H YAW ATTITUDE AT WHICH TIME THE PILOT APPLIED LEFT PEDAL TO STRAIGHTEN THE VEHICLE. AS THIS OCCURRED THE LOW NR HORN SOUNDED AGAIN AND THE PILOT APPLIED THROTTLE AND "DOWN" COLLECTIVE. AT THIS POINT THE DPE ASSUMED CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER, BUT WITH THE VERY LOW ALTITUDE, THE AFT PORTION OF THE L/H LANDING SKID CONTACTED THE GROUND BOUNCING THE HELICOPTER BACK UP INTO THE AIR AND DOWN AGAIN SEVERAL TIMES UNTIL THE FORWARD PORTION OF THE L/H LANDING SKID DUG INTO THE GROUND CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO ROLLOVER ONTO IT'S L/H SIDE AND COMING TO REST, SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THERE WAS NO POST-CRASH FIRE AND NO INJURIES TO EITHER OCCUPANT. PRACTICE SITE WAS AN OPEN FIELD, FLAT, SOFT DIRT, AND GRASS - 7 TO 8 MILES NE OF PRC.

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 LAX03CA215Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportPrescott, AZThe pilot's failure to maintain adequate main rotor rpm, and, his improper use of the collective, throttle, and anti-torque controls during the attempted recovery. Factors in the accident were the pilot's failure to completely relinquish the controls, and the…Jun 28, 2003 · Substantial damage