- Date
- May 30, 2024, 07:54 local (17:54 UTC)
- Place
- Kailua-Kona, HI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N333PJRobinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Defining event
- Landing: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20240530005099A
- Case key
- 194350
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The flight instructor’s failure to implement the correct action for low rotor RPM recovery.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction were practicing high density altitude training. The pilot receiving instruction made several landings to a pinnacle approved for practice landings by the flight school which was located at about 5,500’ ft msl. The flight instructor decided to try a new landing site, which was not approved by the flight school, located at 6,500’ ft msl. On their second approach to the new landing area the rotor RPM began to decay, the flight instructor took the controls, he pushed forward on the cyclic to attempt to go around and added power, increasing collective. The instructor’s control inputs resulted in the main rotor rpm’s continued decrease. The helicopter impacted the ground resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and tail boom. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N333PJ
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3804
- Built
- 2005
- Airframe hours
- 14,196.5
- Engine
- Lycoming J2A, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Hawaii Pacific Aviation, doing business as Mauna Loa Helicopters
- Registered owner
- Hawaii Pacific Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 14, 2024 · 46.7 hours before
- Departed
- PHKO · Kailua Kona, HI
- Destination
- PHKO · Kailua Kona, HI
- Equipment
- ADS-B
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 29
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 6, 2023
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 828 total · 497 in this make and model · 758 as pilot in command · 232 in the last 90 days · 86 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 26
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 18, 2024
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 134 total · 122 in this make and model · 80 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
- Observed at
- PHKO
- METAR
- METAR PHKO 300753Z 14003KT 10SM FEW026 BKN048 26/21 A3008 RMK AO2 SLP185 T02610211=
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 8, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 8.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N333PJ · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.