20090713011709A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robsin R22 BETA · Bedford, MA · July 13, 2009

Date: July 13, 2009 · 13:53 local
Place: Bedford, MA
Airport: Laurence G Hanscom Fld
Phase of flight: Hovering
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N211SH
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA09CA401
Reported as: Robsin R22BETA
Reported engine: Lycoming O360*
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,064 total867 in this make and model66 in the last 90 days

N211SHRegistration cancelled Sep 10, 2009 · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETAS/N 3992 · Built 2005 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 BETA Engine 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) The accident aircraft and crew were engaged in what was the students second instructional flight. After completing an uneventful portion of the flight which incluced upper air work such as straight and leel flight, turns and acceleration/deceleration manuvers the crew returned to Hanscom field (kbed) to conduct some practice of hovering flight prior to concluding the flight. The hovering practice started over the har surface customs ramp but moved to a grass area nea airport taxiways when a medical flight approached the customs ramp for landing. Once the aircraft was established over the grass the instructor had pointed the nose of the aircraft towaards the air traffic control tower (the tower would be used a visual reference to maintain the hover position) and asked the studen to maintain the nose of the aircraft pointed at the tower. Shortly after this the instructor added control of the collective lever to the students control. See continuation sheet.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT AND CREW WERE ENGAGED IN WHAT WAS THE STUDENTS SECOND INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT. AFTER COMPLETING AN UNEVENTFUL PORTION OF THE FLIGHT WHICH INCLUCED UPPER AIR WORK SUCH AS STRAIGHT AND LEEL FLIGHT, TURNS AND ACCELERATION/DECELERATION MANUVERS THE CREW RETURNED TO HANSCOM FIELD (KBED) TO CONDUCT SOME PRACTICE OF HOVERING FLIGHT PRIOR TO CONCLUDING THE FLIGHT. THE HOVERING PRACTICE STARTED OVER THE HAR SURFACE CUSTOMS RAMP BUT MOVED TO A GRASS AREA NEA AIRPORT TAXIWAYS WHEN A MEDICAL FLIGHT APPROACHED THE CUSTOMS RAMP FOR LANDING. ONCE THE AIRCRAFT WAS ESTABLISHED OVER THE GRASS THE INSTRUCTOR HAD POINTED THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT TOWAARDS THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER (THE TOWER WOULD BE USED A VISUAL REFERENCE TO MAINTAIN THE HOVER POSITION) AND ASKED THE STUDEN TO MAINTAIN THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT POINTED AT THE TOWER. SHORTLY AFTER THIS THE INSTRUCTOR ADDED CONTROL OF THE COLLECTIVE LEVER TO THE STUDENTS CONTROL. SEE CONTINUATION SHEET.

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 ERA09CA401Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportBedford, MAThe flight instructor's inadequate remedial action while conducting hover practice with a student pilot, which resulted in the helicopter rolling over when it contacted the ground.Jul 13, 2009 · Substantial damage