20100818044339A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson He R22 Beta · Mack, CO · August 18, 2010

Date
August 18, 2010 · 08:50 local
Place
Mack, CO
Airport
Mack Mesa
Phase of flight
Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N404LE
Reported as
Robinson He R22 Beta
Reported engine
Lycoming O-360-J2A
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
1,471 total1,313 in this make and model176 in the last 90 days

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.

During a 14 CFR 61 training flt the CFI had the student initiate a practice 180 degree autorotation with the intention of a termination with power. As they initiated the power recovery the CFI noted the rate of descent was not dissipating and so he took the controls and intended to perform a go-around. However, the aircraft failed to gain altitude and slid onto the runway at a relative high rate. The impact caused the main rotor to flex and it struck the tail boom. There may be more extensive damage. A FSDO ASI conducted an on-site inspection and confirmed substantial damage. After further investigation and interviewing the CFI a 44709 action was conducted successfully.

As the FAA filed it

DURING A 14 CFR 61 TRAINING FLT THE CFI HAD THE STUDENT INITIATE A PRACTICE 180 DEGREE AUTOROTATION WITH THE INTENTION OF A TERMINATION WITH POWER. AS THEY INITIATED THE POWER RECOVERY THE CFI NOTED THE RATE OF DESCENT WAS NOT DISSIPATING AND SO HE TOOK THE CONTROLS AND INTENDED TO PERFORM A GO-AROUND. HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT FAILED TO GAIN ALTITUDE AND SLID ONTO THE RUNWAY AT A RELATIVE HIGH RATE. THE IMPACT CAUSED THE MAIN ROTOR TO FLEX AND IT STRUCK THE TAIL BOOM. THERE MAY BE MORE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. A FSDO ASI CONDUCTED AN ON-SITE INSPECTION AND CONFIRMED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION AND INTERVIEWING THE CFI A 44709 ACTION WAS CONDUCTED SUCCESSFULLY.