# Accident 20090203000689A: Robsin R22BETA, Sevierville, TN, February 3, 2009

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 3, 2009, 12:30 local time
- Place: Sevierville, TN
- Airport: Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.8578° N, 83.5286° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.8578&lon=-83.5286&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7687H, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7687H-2019-11-26) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA (registry code 7640110, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O-360-J2A (registry code 42314, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-j2a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBSIN R22BETA
- Reported engine: O320J2A
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 530 total, 450 in this make and model, 70 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA09CA155](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09CA155) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090203000689A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON 02/03/2009, N7687H, R22 BETA WAS BEING OPERATED PART 91 IN INSTRUCTIONAL USE BY RAMBO HELICOPTERS, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ OWNER.  THE HELICOPTER WAS OCCUPIED IN THE RIGHT SEAT BY A 13 HOUR PRE-SOLO STUDENT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.  THE LEFT SEAT WAS OCCUPIED BY A HELICOPTER CFI, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, 530 HOURS TT.  THEY HAD JUST COMPLETED A SERIES OF RAPID DECELS ON THE PARALLEL TAXIWAY TO RWY 28.  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DECIDED TO GIVE SOME HOVER TAXI, TURN INSTRUCTION ON THE TAXIWAY PARALLEL TO RWY10.  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HOVERED EAST AND STOPPED.  HE THEN USED LEFT PEDAL TO TURN THE AIRCRAFT TO THE LEFT WITH A RIGHT QUARTERING TAILWIND.  AS HE TURNED TOWARD THE WEST THE YAW RATE ACCELERATED AND HE LOST CONTROL.  HE STATED THE PUSHED FULL RIGHT PEDAL.  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TOOK THE CONTROLS AND ATTEMPTED TO ARREST THE YAW RATE.  SHE UNABLE TO DO SO.  SHE STATED THAT SHE PANICKED AND LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE.  THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE TAXIWAY AND CAME TO A STOP.  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT SHE PULLED THE MIXTURE TO STOP THE ENGINE.  THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES INDICATED CONTACT WITH THE TAXIWAY THE TAILBOOM HAD BEEN DAMAGED BY A TAIL ROTOR STRIKE AND THE SKIDS HAD COLLAPSED. (CONTINUED ON ANOTHER PAGE)  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ RESPONDED TO AN R-22 ACCIDENT AT KGKT ON 2/3/2009.  THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS PHOTOGRAPHED.  GPS COORDINATES WERE TAKEN FOR THE LOCATION OF THE HELICOPTER.  INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH THE STUDENT PILOT AND CFI THAT WERE AT THE CONTROLS.  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, A&P OF SEVIER COUNTY CHOPPERS, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WAS REQUESTED TO EXAMINE THE HELICOPTER.  HE WAS ASKED TO CHECK THE CONTINUITY OF ALL THE CONTROLS.  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ REPORTED ON 0/5/09 THAT THE ALL THE CONTROLS WERE VERIFIED AND THAT HE DID NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE FLIGHT CONTROLS.  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, AIRPORT MANAGER OF GATLINBURG-PIGEON FORGE AVIATION PROVIDED THE AWOS INFORMATION. HIS PHONE NUMBER IS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.  THE ACCIDENT WAS ASSIGNED TO NTSB INVESTIGATOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, FROM THE ASHBURN, VA OFFICE.  HE WAS SENT A CD WITH THE PHOTOGRAPHS OBTAINED AT THE SCENE.  AFTER REVIEW OF THE EVIDENCE COLLECTED THE NASHVILLE FSDO ISSUED A 44709 RE-EXAMINATION REQUEST LETTER TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ FOR HER FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATE.  SHE IS THE PILOT IN COMMAND AND THE HELICOPTER LOST CONTROL WHILE SHE WAS THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR.  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HELD A STUDENT PILOT CERTIFICATE AND HAD NOT SOLOED.

## 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 ERA09CA155](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09CA155), Feb 3, 2009: Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta (N7687H), Sevierville, TN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The flight instructor's improper remedial action following the student pilot's loss of control. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot's loss of control.

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.

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