20230515006989A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R22 · Spanish Fork, UT · May 15, 2023

Date: May 15, 2023 · 11:00 local
Place: Spanish Fork, UT
Phase of flight: Maneuver
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N227WM
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR23LA191
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R22
Reported engine: Lycoming O-360-J2A
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot, student
Pilot’s flight hours: 357 total270 in this make and model153 in the last 90 days

N227WMRegistered now · Robinson Helicopter R22S/N 4172 · Built 2007 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 Engine modelLycoming O-360-J2AReciprocating

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.

Instructor and student were over a practice area performing simulated engine failures. The student had attempted to land on a predetermined off airport spot twice. During each attempt the spot was overshot. The student requested the instructor to demonstrate the maneuver. While attempting to land from a simulated engine failure the helicopters trim was not reintroduced in a timely manner. The airspeed indicator was approximately 50 knots. At the same time the RPM gauge decreased rapidly. The low rotor warning came on. The rotor rpm's were low with a low airspeed. The helicopter started to sink very rapidly. The instructor flared the helicopter and landed on the aft skids first. The helicopter bucked forward. The main rotor blade struck the tail rotor in such a manner the tail rotor disconnected from the helicopter. The helicopter remained in an upright condition with the skids planted firmly into soft dirt and mud.

As the FAA filed it

INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT WERE OVER A PRACTICE AREA PERFORMING SIMULATED ENGINE FAILURES. THE STUDENT HAD ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON A PREDETERMINED OFF AIRPORT SPOT TWICE. DURING EACH ATTEMPT THE SPOT WAS OVERSHOT. THE STUDENT REQUESTED THE INSTRUCTOR TO DEMONSTRATE THE MANEUVER. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND FROM A SIMULATED ENGINE FAILURE THE HELICOPTERS TRIM WAS NOT REINTRODUCED IN A TIMELY MANNER. THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR WAS APPROXIMATELY 50 KNOTS. AT THE SAME TIME THE RPM GAUGE DECREASED RAPIDLY. THE LOW ROTOR WARNING CAME ON. THE ROTOR RPM'S WERE LOW WITH A LOW AIRSPEED. THE HELICOPTER STARTED TO SINK VERY RAPIDLY. THE INSTRUCTOR FLARED THE HELICOPTER AND LANDED ON THE AFT SKIDS FIRST. THE HELICOPTER BUCKED FORWARD. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRUCK THE TAIL ROTOR IN SUCH A MANNER THE TAIL ROTOR DISCONNECTED FROM THE HELICOPTER. THE HELICOPTER REMAINED IN AN UPRIGHT CONDITION WITH THE SKIDS PLANTED FIRMLY INTO SOFT DIRT AND MUD.

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 WPR23LA191Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportSpanish Fork, UTThe instructor pilot’s improper landing flare during a straight-in autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing.May 15, 2023 · Substantial damage