20110808022009A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA · Deer Park, WA · August 8, 2011

Date: August 8, 2011 · 14:30 local
Place: Deer Park, WA
Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N8332T
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR11LA377
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 486 total320 in this make and model83 in the last 90 days

N8332TRegistered now · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETAS/N 2587 · Built 1996 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 BETA Engine modelAmateur-built UNKNOWN ENG

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.

The student pilot and instructor pilot were practicing hovering in the run-up area of runway 16 when the helicopter started drifting to the right and descending to the ground. The student over corrected with left pedal and the helicopter did several 360 degree turns to the left while banking toward the ground. The instructor commenced corrective action but was unable to level the helicopter before the left skid struck the asphalt. The helicopter did one more rotation to the left before the instructor was able to make a hard landing on the grass. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the firewall and left rear fuselage skin. Neither pilot was injured.

As the FAA filed it

THE STUDENT PILOT AND INSTRUCTOR PILOT WERE PRACTICING HOVERING IN THE RUN-UP AREA OF RUNWAY 16 WHEN THE HELICOPTER STARTED DRIFTING TO THE RIGHT AND DESCENDING TO THE GROUND. THE STUDENT OVER CORRECTED WITH LEFT PEDAL AND THE HELICOPTER DID SEVERAL 360 DEGREE TURNS TO THE LEFT WHILE BANKING TOWARD THE GROUND. THE INSTRUCTOR COMMENCED CORRECTIVE ACTION BUT WAS UNABLE TO LEVEL THE HELICOPTER BEFORE THE LEFT SKID STRUCK THE ASPHALT. THE HELICOPTER DID ONE MORE ROTATION TO THE LEFT BEFORE THE INSTRUCTOR WAS ABLE TO MAKE A HARD LANDING ON THE GRASS. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FIREWALL AND LEFT REAR FUSELAGE SKIN. NEITHER PILOT WAS INJURED.

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 WPR11LA377Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportDeer Park, WAThe student pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter and his delay in relinquishing control to the flight instructor, which resulted in the instructor’s delayed remedial actions and subsequent hard landing.Aug 8, 2011 · Substantial damage