20170721009129A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R22 · Bozeman, MT · July 21, 2017

Date: July 21, 2017 · 10:47 local
Place: Bozeman, MT
Phase of flight: Other, Specify
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N28VH
NTSB investigation: NTSBGAA17CA434
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R22
Reported engine: Lycoming O-360 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 302 total182 in this make and model70 in the last 90 days

N28VHRegistration cancelled Oct 18, 2022 · Robinson Helicopter R22S/N 3687 · Built 2004 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 Engine modelLycoming O-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.

The CFI was giving instruction to a student on auto rotations.

Two 90 degree autorotations were completed successfully, followed by two successful 180 degree autorotations. A third right 180 autorotation was being demonstrated and the rotor RPM went above the green. The collective was pulled up and brought the RPM back to the green range. During the turn the nose attitude became too low, increasing the descent rate. When the turn was completed, the nose attitude was low and rate of descent was high, throttle was added to attempt a power on autorotation recovery. Just before impact the pilot applied forward cyclic and full collective.

The helicopter struck the ground and due to relatively high forward airspeed, slid forward to a stop.

One main rotor blade struck and damaged the tail boom. Only one main rotor blade had marks on it from the boom strike.

The mast did lightly impact the fuselage skin on the top of the helicopter.

All controls operated normally.

As the FAA filed it

THE CFI WAS GIVING INSTRUCTION TO A STUDENT ON AUTO ROTATIONS.

TWO 90 DEGREE AUTOROTATIONS WERE COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY, FOLLOWED BY TWO SUCCESSFUL 180 DEGREE AUTOROTATIONS. A THIRD RIGHT 180 AUTOROTATION WAS BEING DEMONSTRATED AND THE ROTOR RPM WENT ABOVE THE GREEN. THE COLLECTIVE WAS PULLED UP AND BROUGHT THE RPM BACK TO THE GREEN RANGE. DURING THE TURN THE NOSE ATTITUDE BECAME TOO LOW, INCREASING THE DESCENT RATE. WHEN THE TURN WAS COMPLETED, THE NOSE ATTITUDE WAS LOW AND RATE OF DESCENT WAS HIGH, THROTTLE WAS ADDED TO ATTEMPT A POWER ON AUTOROTATION RECOVERY. JUST BEFORE IMPACT THE PILOT APPLIED FORWARD CYCLIC AND FULL COLLECTIVE.

THE HELICOPTER STRUCK THE GROUND AND DUE TO RELATIVELY HIGH FORWARD AIRSPEED, SLID FORWARD TO A STOP.

ONE MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRUCK AND DAMAGED THE TAIL BOOM. ONLY ONE MAIN ROTOR BLADE HAD MARKS ON IT FROM THE BOOM STRIKE.

THE MAST DID LIGHTLY IMPACT THE FUSELAGE SKIN ON THE TOP OF THE HELICOPTER.

ALL CONTROLS OPERATED NORMALLY.

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 GAA17CA434Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportBozeman, MTThe flight instructor’s unstabilized autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing.Jul 21, 2017 · Substantial damage