What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 06-sept-2020, N194HC, a 1991 Robinson R22 mariner helicopter, s/n 1955M was involved in an accident at Page Field (fmy) Fort Myers, Florida. The two POB were a commercial rated instructor and his ATP rated student, and neither were injured. The crew reported performing a preflight inspection in accordance with the rfm and found no discrepancies. They started the engine and were completing the interior preflight checks when they started to apply power to the engine and heard a loud ?boom?. While trying to find the source of the noise, the student opened his door and reported that the ?tail was hanging off the back of the helicopter?, so they immediately shut down the engine. The helicopter never left the ground, but it was an intended flight so it is classified as an accident.
As the FAA filed it
ON 06-SEPT-2020, N194HC, A 1991 ROBINSON R22 MARINER HELICOPTER, S/N 1955M WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AT PAGE FIELD (FMY) FORT MYERS, FLORIDA. THE TWO POB WERE A COMMERCIAL RATED INSTRUCTOR AND HIS ATP RATED STUDENT, AND NEITHER WERE INJURED. THE CREW REPORTED PERFORMING A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RFM AND FOUND NO DISCREPANCIES. THEY STARTED THE ENGINE AND WERE COMPLETING THE INTERIOR PREFLIGHT CHECKS WHEN THEY STARTED TO APPLY POWER TO THE ENGINE AND HEARD A LOUD ?BOOM?. WHILE TRYING TO FIND THE SOURCE OF THE NOISE, THE STUDENT OPENED HIS DOOR AND REPORTED THAT THE ?TAIL WAS HANGING OFF THE BACK OF THE HELICOPTER?, SO THEY IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE. THE HELICOPTER NEVER LEFT THE GROUND, BUT IT WAS AN INTENDED FLIGHT SO IT IS CLASSIFIED AS AN ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.