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20090208003989A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Robsin R22 BETA · Encinitas, CA · February 8, 2009

FAA Aviation Safety Information PortalNTSB investigation search

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Date
February 8, 2009 · 08:05 local
Place
Encinitas, CA
Phase of flight
Maneuver
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N588LE
Reported as
Robsin R22BETA
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
2,200 total400 in this make and model10 in the last 90 days
N588LERegistered now · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETAS/N 3588 · Built 2004Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 BETAEngine modelLycoming O-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) On the above date, privacy data omitted was giving privacy data omitted a pre-hire check flight prior to hiring him as a flight instructor for privacy data omitted flight school. While flying at approximately 700 feet MSL, privacy data omitted entered a practice autorotation at appproximately 80 knots. During the flare, privacy data omitted rolled on the throttle and the engine did not respond. At approximately 4-5 KTS privacy data omitted touched down on the beach. The helicopter landed on wet sand which stopped the forward movement of the helicopter. When the helicopter rocked forward, the slow turning main rotor flexed down and chopped off the tail boom and tail rotor assemby approaximately three feet from the aft end. The Robinson R-22 pilot operating handbook (POH) has a caution in section 4-9 that addresses throttle chip during practice autorotations and states that inadvertent engine stoppage could occur. Robinson safety notices SN-27 "surprise throttle chops" and SN-38" practice autorotations cause many training accidents" also discuss this issue. Section 4-11 addresses the conditions conductive to carburetor icing which could have been a contributing factor. No mechanical engine faults were discovered.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON THE ABOVE DATE, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS GIVING ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ A PRE-HIRE CHECK FLIGHT PRIOR TO HIRING HIM AS A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR FOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ FLIGHT SCHOOL. WHILE FLYING AT APPROXIMATELY 700 FEET MSL, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ENTERED A PRACTICE AUTOROTATION AT APPPROXIMATELY 80 KNOTS. DURING THE FLARE, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ROLLED ON THE THROTTLE AND THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. AT APPROXIMATELY 4-5 KTS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TOUCHED DOWN ON THE BEACH. THE HELICOPTER LANDED ON WET SAND WHICH STOPPED THE FORWARD MOVEMENT OF THE HELICOPTER. WHEN THE HELICOPTER ROCKED FORWARD, THE SLOW TURNING MAIN ROTOR FLEXED DOWN AND CHOPPED OFF THE TAIL BOOM AND TAIL ROTOR ASSEMBY APPROAXIMATELY THREE FEET FROM THE AFT END. THE ROBINSON R-22 PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK (POH) HAS A CAUTION IN SECTION 4-9 THAT ADDRESSES THROTTLE CHIP DURING PRACTICE AUTOROTATIONS AND STATES THAT INADVERTENT ENGINE STOPPAGE COULD OCCUR. ROBINSON SAFETY NOTICES SN-27 "SURPRISE THROTTLE CHOPS" AND SN-38" PRACTICE AUTOROTATIONS CAUSE MANY TRAINING ACCIDENTS" ALSO DISCUSS THIS ISSUE. SECTION 4-11 ADDRESSES THE CONDITIONS CONDUCTIVE TO CARBURETOR ICING WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. NO MECHANICAL ENGINE FAULTS WERE DISCOVERED.