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20050519007939A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Robsin R22 BETA · Saint George, UT · May 19, 2005

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
May 19, 2005 · 15:41 local
Place
Saint George, UT
Airport
Saint George Municipal
Phase of flight
Sfl Autorotation
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N983KC
NTSB investigation
NTSBDEN05LA081
Reported as
Robsin R22BETA
Reported engine
Lycoming O360J2A
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
1,680 total1,338 in this make and model280 in the last 90 days
N983KCRegistration cancelled Oct 29, 2013 · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETAS/N 2811 · Built 1998Airframe 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) Instructor pilot was demonstrating 180 autorotations to an open sod and dirt field to a termination with power. Temp was 38C, da 5100 winds south at approx 8 mph. Instructor states that the aircraft entered maneuver at 550 AGL and completed 180 degree turn by 225 feet AGL and into the wind, 1500FPM rate of descent, 60 KIAS. Instructor states he noticed a low frequency side to side (lateral) vibration. Instructor states he attempted to initiate a power recovery by increasing throttle so that at 100 AGL engine and rotor RPM were in normal range. Instructor states that at 40' AGL he initiated a dedelerative flare and as the aircraft settled he states he applied full collective and attempted to level the aircraft. The aircraft continued to settle to the ground and landed hard striking tail stinger first, main rotor blade striking the tail boom, then heels of the langing gear skids then rolled forward coming to rest on it's right side. Damage to main fuselage, tail boom, tail rotor, main rotor, landing gear. Instructor sustained minor injuries to left leg, top of head, neck and left wrist. Student pilot sustained minor injury to neck.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) INSTRUCTOR PILOT WAS DEMONSTRATING 180 AUTOROTATIONS TO AN OPEN SOD AND DIRT FIELD TO A TERMINATION WITH POWER. TEMP WAS 38C, DA 5100 WINDS SOUTH AT APPROX 8 MPH. INSTRUCTOR STATES THAT THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED MANEUVER AT 550 AGL AND COMPLETED 180 DEGREE TURN BY 225 FEET AGL AND INTO THE WIND, 1500FPM RATE OF DESCENT, 60 KIAS. INSTRUCTOR STATES HE NOTICED A LOW FREQUENCY SIDE TO SIDE (LATERAL) VIBRATION. INSTRUCTOR STATES HE ATTEMPTED TO INITIATE A POWER RECOVERY BY INCREASING THROTTLE SO THAT AT 100 AGL ENGINE AND ROTOR RPM WERE IN NORMAL RANGE. INSTRUCTOR STATES THAT AT 40' AGL HE INITIATED A DEDELERATIVE FLARE AND AS THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED HE STATES HE APPLIED FULL COLLECTIVE AND ATTEMPTED TO LEVEL THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO SETTLE TO THE GROUND AND LANDED HARD STRIKING TAIL STINGER FIRST, MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRIKING THE TAIL BOOM, THEN HEELS OF THE LANGING GEAR SKIDS THEN ROLLED FORWARD COMING TO REST ON IT'S RIGHT SIDE. DAMAGE TO MAIN FUSELAGE, TAIL BOOM, TAIL ROTOR, MAIN ROTOR, LANDING GEAR. INSTRUCTOR SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES TO LEFT LEG, TOP OF HEAD, NECK AND LEFT WRIST. STUDENT PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURY TO NECK.

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 DEN05LA081Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSt. George, UTthe pilot's improper autorotation. A contributing factor was the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the pilot.May 19, 2005 · Substantial damage