20060528016509A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robsin R22 BETA · Sanford, ME · May 28, 2006

Date: May 28, 2006 · 13:05 local
Place: Sanford, ME
Airport: Sanford Municipal
Phase of flight: Aerial Taxi From Ldg/Rtrcrft
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N720RJ
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC06CA125
Reported as: Robsin R22BETA
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,800 total1,400 in this make and model110 in the last 90 days

N720RJRegistration cancelled Feb 28, 2017 · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETAS/N 0541 · Built 1986 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 BETA Engine 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.

(-23) While demonstrating an air taxi maneuver at an initial altitude of approximately 30 feet and 30-40 knots the aircraft settled to the surface, hit hard in a level attitude and rolled over on its left side. The instructor who was manipulating the controls to demonstrate the use of the cyclic, was slowing the aircraft and descending during the demonstration. He noticed the aircraft sink rate increasing and was unable to arrest the sink before the aircraft hit the ground hard. The left aft skid brace broke causing the aircraft to roll onto its left side. Both occupants were able to egress the aircraft without injury. The aircraft was on a westerly course during the maneuver. The wind was reportedly coming from southeast at 5 knots (150 at 05). The aircraft was likely to have encountered settling-with-power (vortex ring state) at too low an altitude for an effective recovery due to a tailwind condition.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) WHILE DEMONSTRATING AN AIR TAXI MANEUVER AT AN INITIAL ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET AND 30-40 KNOTS THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED TO THE SURFACE, HIT HARD IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE AND ROLLED OVER ON ITS LEFT SIDE. THE INSTRUCTOR WHO WAS MANIPULATING THE CONTROLS TO DEMONSTRATE THE USE OF THE CYCLIC, WAS SLOWING THE AIRCRAFT AND DESCENDING DURING THE DEMONSTRATION. HE NOTICED THE AIRCRAFT SINK RATE INCREASING AND WAS UNABLE TO ARREST THE SINK BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE GROUND HARD. THE LEFT AFT SKID BRACE BROKE CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO ROLL ONTO ITS LEFT SIDE. BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE ABLE TO EGRESS THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INJURY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON A WESTERLY COURSE DURING THE MANEUVER. THE WIND WAS REPORTEDLY COMING FROM SOUTHEAST AT 5 KNOTS (150 AT 05). THE AIRCRAFT WAS LIKELY TO HAVE ENCOUNTERED SETTLING-WITH-POWER (VORTEX RING STATE) AT TOO LOW AN ALTITUDE FOR AN EFFECTIVE RECOVERY DUE TO A TAILWIND CONDITION.

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 NYC06CA125Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportSanford, METhe flight instructor's inadvertent encounter with settling-with-power, which resulted in a hard landing, and subsequent roll-over. A factor in the accident was the tailwind.May 28, 2006 · Substantial damage