# Accident 20180214012049A: Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, North Charlesto, SC, February 14, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 14, 2018, 13:54 local time
- Place: North Charlesto, SC
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.8546° N, 79.9748° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of North Charleston, SC, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8546&lon=-79.9748&mi=10
- Aircraft: N337H, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N337H) (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: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,600 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA18LA131](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18LA131) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180214012049A

## Narrative

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

ON FEBRUARY 14, 2018 AT  1354Z A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT WERE PRACTICING HOVER AND TRANSITION TO FORWARD FLIGHT IN A R-22 HELICOPTER ON THE SOUTHERN END DANIEL ISLAND SC ABOUT 5 MILES SOUTH SOUTHEAST OF CHS. SHORTLY AFTER TRANSITIONING TO FORWARD FLIGHT, THE HELICOPTER ENCOUNTERED A DRONE IN A LOW-LEVEL TURN. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TOOK THE CONTROLS AND EXECUTED AN EVASIVE RIGHT TURN TO AVOID THE DRONE. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SETTLE WITH POWER, WHICH CAUSED TO TAIL ROTOR TO STRIKE VEGETATION. THE HELICOPTER SPUN AND LANDED ON THE RIGHT SIDE. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE BUT BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE UNINJURED

## 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 GAA18LA131](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18LA131), Feb 14, 2018: Robinson Helicopter R22 (N337H), Charleston, SC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The flight instructor’s abrupt evasive maneuver to avoid a reported unmanned aerial system, which resulted in a loss of forward airspeed and settling with power and a subsequent collision with trees…

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.

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