# Accident 20140926023979A: Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, Albuquerque, NM, September 26, 2014

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 26, 2014, 07:45 local time
- Place: Albuquerque, NM
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: 1VMS
- Location: 35.2306° N, 106.8753° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.2306&lon=-106.8753&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7026J, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7026J-2014-12-09) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA (registry code 7640110, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22 BETA
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, commercial pilot, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 4,595 total, 89 in this make and model, 267 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN14LA520](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA520) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140926023979A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN14LA520](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA520), Sep 26, 2014: Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta (N7026J), Albuquerque, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: The 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…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.