What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Upon arrival I found the aircraft, a Robinson R-22 beta N345VH, just off of the left side of runway 22 laying on its right side approximately 1000 feet down the runway.
I interviewed the pilot/cfi and she stated that she picked up her student from clearwater, Florida (pie) for an instructional flight with intention of transitioning through class b airspace to ktpf for approach and auto rotations as part of the lesson.
The pilot/cfi stated that during the second auto rotation, approach was normal, she flared at 40 feet to bleed off airspeed then brought the throttle on but the RPM continued to decay, the aircraft then impacted the ground, bounced and rolled onto its right side and came to an immediate stop.
The pilot/cfi stated that she thought there is too much rotational play in the left position throttle and she had reported it twice to the operators mechanic. She stated in both instances that the mechanic told her that it was normal.
No witnesses were reported.
I inspected the aircraft and recorded the damage via photographs. It appears that the main rotor blades still attached but destroyed.
Fuel was draining from the right side tank filler cap.
The tail boom is crushed at the fuselage attach point.
The tail horizontal stabilizer is bent approximately 90 degrees.
The doors were previously removed for this flight.
01/03/2013
Inspected the aircraft in daylight to determine extent of damage.
Aircraft was placed in hangar upright.
Further inspection discovered extensive damage to the firewall, external fuselage, and tail boom.
Landing skids are slightly bent so that the left side skid forward end does not contact the ground.
01/08/2013
Inspected rotational play in the left position throttle at the direction of the Robinson manufacturer representative. He stated that by my description of the play, it was not an un airworthy condition.
01/08/2013
Reported all findings to the assigned NTSB investigator. He concurred with my findings and recommendation to release the aircraft to the insurance company.
It appears that the pilot alllowed the rotor and engine RPM to decay beyond a point that was recoverable, therefore losing the ability to control the aircraft.
01/08/2013
Aircraft was salvaged by quality aircraft salvage and moved to their facility in groveland, Florida.
As the FAA filed it
UPON ARRIVAL I FOUND THE AIRCRAFT, A ROBINSON R-22 BETA N345VH, JUST OFF OF THE LEFT SIDE OF RUNWAY 22 LAYING ON ITS RIGHT SIDE APPROXIMATELY 1000 FEET DOWN THE RUNWAY.
I INTERVIEWED THE PILOT/CFI AND SHE STATED THAT SHE PICKED UP HER STUDENT FROM CLEARWATER, FLORIDA (PIE) FOR AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WITH INTENTION OF TRANSITIONING THROUGH CLASS B AIRSPACE TO KTPF FOR APPROACH AND AUTO ROTATIONS AS PART OF THE LESSON.
THE PILOT/CFI STATED THAT DURING THE SECOND AUTO ROTATION, APPROACH WAS NORMAL, SHE FLARED AT 40 FEET TO BLEED OFF AIRSPEED THEN BROUGHT THE THROTTLE ON BUT THE RPM CONTINUED TO DECAY, THE AIRCRAFT THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND, BOUNCED AND ROLLED ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE AND CAME TO AN IMMEDIATE STOP.
THE PILOT/CFI STATED THAT SHE THOUGHT THERE IS TOO MUCH ROTATIONAL PLAY IN THE LEFT POSITION THROTTLE AND SHE HAD REPORTED IT TWICE TO THE OPERATORS MECHANIC. SHE STATED IN BOTH INSTANCES THAT THE MECHANIC TOLD HER THAT IT WAS NORMAL.
NO WITNESSES WERE REPORTED.
I INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT AND RECORDED THE DAMAGE VIA PHOTOGRAPHS. IT APPEARS THAT THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STILL ATTACHED BUT DESTROYED.
FUEL WAS DRAINING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE TANK FILLER CAP.
THE TAIL BOOM IS CRUSHED AT THE FUSELAGE ATTACH POINT.
THE TAIL HORIZONTAL STABILIZER IS BENT APPROXIMATELY 90 DEGREES.
THE DOORS WERE PREVIOUSLY REMOVED FOR THIS FLIGHT.
01/03/2013
INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT IN DAYLIGHT TO DETERMINE EXTENT OF DAMAGE.
AIRCRAFT WAS PLACED IN HANGAR UPRIGHT.
FURTHER INSPECTION DISCOVERED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE FIREWALL, EXTERNAL FUSELAGE, AND TAIL BOOM.
LANDING SKIDS ARE SLIGHTLY BENT SO THAT THE LEFT SIDE SKID FORWARD END DOES NOT CONTACT THE GROUND.
01/08/2013
INSPECTED ROTATIONAL PLAY IN THE LEFT POSITION THROTTLE AT THE DIRECTION OF THE ROBINSON MANUFACTURER REPRESENTATIVE. HE STATED THAT BY MY DESCRIPTION OF THE PLAY, IT WAS NOT AN UN AIRWORTHY CONDITION.
01/08/2013
REPORTED ALL FINDINGS TO THE ASSIGNED NTSB INVESTIGATOR. HE CONCURRED WITH MY FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATION TO RELEASE THE AIRCRAFT TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY.
IT APPEARS THAT THE PILOT ALLLOWED THE ROTOR AND ENGINE RPM TO DECAY BEYOND A POINT THAT WAS RECOVERABLE, THEREFORE LOSING THE ABILITY TO CONTROL THE AIRCRAFT.
01/08/2013
AIRCRAFT WAS SALVAGED BY QUALITY AIRCRAFT SALVAGE AND MOVED TO THEIR FACILITY IN GROVELAND, FLORIDA.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.