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20231028018349A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA · Ronkonkoma, NY · October 28, 2023

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
October 28, 2023 · 09:46 local
Place
Ronkonkoma, NY
Airport
Long Island Mac Arthur
Phase of flight
Hover/Holding
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N964SH
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA24LA028
Reported as
Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta
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
3,800 total1,900 in this make and model100 in the last 90 days
N964SHRegistered now · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETAS/N 3941 · Built 2005Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 BETAEngine 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.

On 10/28/2023 instructor pilot and student pilot were conducting practice hover in west sod area at isp. Student was having difficultly managing controls, instructor took controls from the student to demonstrate control correlation at 3-5 ft hover. Student did also have hands on the controls with instructor in control of the helicopter. During the demonstration the right aft portion of skid struck the sod causing dyanmic rollover.

Instructor shut helicopter down, and assisted student in exiting the helicopter. Minor injuries scratches / cuts were noted by airport emergency responders, both instructor and student refused medical treatment.

The helicopter was found to have substantial damage with main rotor blades broken about mid span from striking ground. Mast assembly was broken away from its mounting, damage to cockpit canopy bubble, cockpit center console was broken away from its mounts, tail boom bent.

Instructor pilot will receive counseling on proper management of helicopter controls during low altitude operations.

As the FAA filed it

ON 10/28/2023 INSTRUCTOR PILOT AND STUDENT PILOT WERE CONDUCTING PRACTICE HOVER IN WEST SOD AREA AT ISP. STUDENT WAS HAVING DIFFICULTLY MANAGING CONTROLS, INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROLS FROM THE STUDENT TO DEMONSTRATE CONTROL CORRELATION AT 3-5 FT HOVER. STUDENT DID ALSO HAVE HANDS ON THE CONTROLS WITH INSTRUCTOR IN CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER. DURING THE DEMONSTRATION THE RIGHT AFT PORTION OF SKID STRUCK THE SOD CAUSING DYANMIC ROLLOVER.

INSTRUCTOR SHUT HELICOPTER DOWN, AND ASSISTED STUDENT IN EXITING THE HELICOPTER. MINOR INJURIES SCRATCHES / CUTS WERE NOTED BY AIRPORT EMERGENCY RESPONDERS, BOTH INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT REFUSED MEDICAL TREATMENT.

THE HELICOPTER WAS FOUND TO HAVE SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WITH MAIN ROTOR BLADES BROKEN ABOUT MID SPAN FROM STRIKING GROUND. MAST ASSEMBLY WAS BROKEN AWAY FROM ITS MOUNTING, DAMAGE TO COCKPIT CANOPY BUBBLE, COCKPIT CENTER CONSOLE WAS BROKEN AWAY FROM ITS MOUNTS, TAIL BOOM BENT.

INSTRUCTOR PILOT WILL RECEIVE COUNSELING ON PROPER MANAGEMENT OF HELICOPTER CONTROLS DURING LOW ALTITUDE OPERATIONS.

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 ERA24LA028Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportRonkonkoma, NYThe student pilot’s abrupt control input and the flight instructor’s inadequate remedial action, which resulted in a dynamic rollover.Oct 28, 2023 · Substantial damage