- Date
- February 6, 2009, 10:33 local (16:33 UTC)
- Place
- Cypress, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Emergency descent
- Aircraft
- N234LARobinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Defining event
- Autorotation: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 12, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090206001489A
- Case key
- 73330
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 student pilot's failure to maintain adequate main rotor rpm and the instructor's delayed remedial action.
Findings · 3
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
While performing a 180-degree autorotation, the student pilot raised the collective in order to maintain the helicopter's rpms within normal parameters. At approximately 250 feet above ground level, the rotor rpm was allowed to decay to 95% at which time the helicopter began to sink. The lowest observed rpm was 85%. The certified flight instructor took control of the helicopter could not recover the helicopter prior to an impact with terrain. The helicopter landed hard and rolled onto its left side. Substantial crushing damage was sustained to the fuselage. Winds at the time of the accident were 190 degrees at 14 knots gusting to 30 knots.
Factual narrative
While performing a 180-degree autorotation, the student pilot raised the collective in order to maintain the rotor rpms within normal parameters. At approximately 250 feet above ground level, the rotor rpm was allowed to decay to 95% at which time the helicopter began to sink. The lowest observed rpm was 85%. The certified flight instructor took control of the helicopter, but could not recover prior to impact with terrain. The helicopter landed hard and rolled onto its left side. Substantial crushing damage was sustained to the fuselage. Winds at the time of the accident were 190 degrees at 14 knots gusting to 30 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N234LA
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3534
- Airframe hours
- 2,299.8
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Helicopter Services Inc
- Registered owner
- Helicopter Services Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 29, 2009 · 28.5 hours before
- Departed
- DWH · Tomball, TX
- Destination
- DWH · Tomball, TX
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
- 31
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 3, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 642 total · 300 in this make and model · 564 as pilot in command · 111 in the last 90 days · 60 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 31
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 81 total · 81 in this make and model · 3 as pilot in command · 21 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 14 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.35 inHg
- Observed at
- DWH, 6 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 23, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 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.