20140926023979A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA · Albuquerque, NM · September 26, 2014

Date: September 26, 2014 · 07:45 local
Place: Albuquerque, NM
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: 1VMS
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7026J
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN14LA520
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta
Reported engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 2
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, commercial pilot, private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 4,595 total89 in this make and model267 in the last 90 days

N7026JRegistration cancelled Dec 9, 2014 · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETAS/N 2856 · Built 1998 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 BETA Engine modelLycoming O&VO-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.

On September 26, 2014, at 0745 MDT, N7026J, a Robinson R-22 beta helicopter, operated by vertical limit aviation, LLC, was on a rental, recreational flight northwest of the Albuquerque double eagle ii airport (aeg), Albuquerque, NM. The weather was good visual meteorological conditions. The pilot had flown for approximately 20 minutes when he made a practice approach to a pinnacle landing site. As the helicopter descended and slowed, the low rotor RPM horn sounded. The pilot was not able to accomplish a go-around. The helicopter continued its descent. The left skid struck the hill (the pinnacle) which caused the aircraft to roll over onto its right side. The combination of engine power and roll over energy caused the main rotor and the tail boom to bend and then break. The pilot and the passenger sustained minor injuries. There was no post-crash fire. The helicopter sustained substantial damage.

As the FAA filed it

ON SEPTEMBER 26, 2014, AT 0745 MDT, N7026J, A ROBINSON R-22 BETA HELICOPTER, OPERATED BY VERTICAL LIMIT AVIATION, LLC, WAS ON A RENTAL, RECREATIONAL FLIGHT NORTHWEST OF THE ALBUQUERQUE DOUBLE EAGLE II AIRPORT (AEG), ALBUQUERQUE, NM. THE WEATHER WAS GOOD VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. THE PILOT HAD FLOWN FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES WHEN HE MADE A PRACTICE APPROACH TO A PINNACLE LANDING SITE. AS THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED AND SLOWED, THE LOW ROTOR RPM HORN SOUNDED. THE PILOT WAS NOT ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH A GO-AROUND. THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED ITS DESCENT. THE LEFT SKID STRUCK THE HILL (THE PINNACLE) WHICH CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO ROLL OVER ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE. THE COMBINATION OF ENGINE POWER AND ROLL OVER ENERGY CAUSED THE MAIN ROTOR AND THE TAIL BOOM TO BEND AND THEN BREAK. THE PILOT AND THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THERE WAS NO POST-CRASH FIRE. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.

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 CEN14LA520Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAlbuquerque, NMThe pilot's failure to maintain main rotor rpm during a pinnacle approach, which resulted in a loss of helicopter control and collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to attempt the approach given the helicopter's weight…Sep 26, 2014 · Substantial damage