What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On October 17, 2019, at approximately 1700 PDT, N4066S, a Robinson R-22 helicopter, impacted terrain after attempting to land and executing a go-around. There were two occupants aboard the aircraft, the PIC and a commercial student pilot. Neither one sustained any injuries due to the accident.
The accident scene was located on a sand bar in the lake mead national recreation area northeast of las vegas, NV. On October 18, 2019, inspectors responded to the scene but were unable to gain access due to the terrain. However, inspectors were able to locate the helicopter utizing binocculars and noticed it was resting upside down. On October 21, 2019, inspectors were transported to the scene via helicopter by the las vegas metropolitan police department. Upon arrival, it was discovered that someone had pushed the helicopter in the upright position.
The examination of the helicopter revealed that the tail boom was separated from the fuselage approximately 2 feet from the tail rotor gear box. Both main rotor blades sustained substantial damage from impacting the terrain, striking the tail boom, and the helicopter rolling over on its side. The fuselage was still intact and sustained damage to its exterior. There were no identifying marks in the sand due to numerous post accident foot prints around the scene.
As the FAA filed it
ON OCTOBER 17, 2019, AT APPROXIMATELY 1700 PDT, N4066S, A ROBINSON R-22 HELICOPTER, IMPACTED TERRAIN AFTER ATTEMPTING TO LAND AND EXECUTING A GO-AROUND. THERE WERE TWO OCCUPANTS ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT, THE PIC AND A COMMERCIAL STUDENT PILOT. NEITHER ONE SUSTAINED ANY INJURIES DUE TO THE ACCIDENT.
THE ACCIDENT SCENE WAS LOCATED ON A SAND BAR IN THE LAKE MEAD NATIONAL RECREATION AREA NORTHEAST OF LAS VEGAS, NV. ON OCTOBER 18, 2019, INSPECTORS RESPONDED TO THE SCENE BUT WERE UNABLE TO GAIN ACCESS DUE TO THE TERRAIN. HOWEVER, INSPECTORS WERE ABLE TO LOCATE THE HELICOPTER UTIZING BINOCCULARS AND NOTICED IT WAS RESTING UPSIDE DOWN. ON OCTOBER 21, 2019, INSPECTORS WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE SCENE VIA HELICOPTER BY THE LAS VEGAS METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT. UPON ARRIVAL, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT SOMEONE HAD PUSHED THE HELICOPTER IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION.
THE EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER REVEALED THAT THE TAIL BOOM WAS SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE APPROXIMATELY 2 FEET FROM THE TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX. BOTH MAIN ROTOR BLADES SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE FROM IMPACTING THE TERRAIN, STRIKING THE TAIL BOOM, AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLING OVER ON ITS SIDE. THE FUSELAGE WAS STILL INTACT AND SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO ITS EXTERIOR. THERE WERE NO IDENTIFYING MARKS IN THE SAND DUE TO NUMEROUS POST ACCIDENT FOOT PRINTS AROUND THE SCENE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.