# NTSB CEN10CA156: Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta, N822SH, Houston, TX, March 13, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: March 13, 2010, 08:45 local (14:45 UTC) - Place: Houston, TX - Coordinates: 29.607221, -95.158607 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.6072&lon=-95.1586&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Dynamic rollover](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/231) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 1, 2010 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 75491 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN10CA156 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/75491/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75491 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10CA156 ## Probable cause The student pilot's loss of directional control during takeoff, resulting in a dynamic rollover of the helicopter. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Personnel issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02060000): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02060000/cases.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 137 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02060000/cases.md) - [Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023000): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023000/cases.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 253 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Dynamic rollover](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/231) (defining event); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 35 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/231/sequence.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 161 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/231/sequence.md) - [Takeoff: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Takeoff: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 85 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student helicopter pilot was preparing for his fourth scheduled solo flight, intending to depart on a local flight. The student reported that as he started to raise the helicopter’s collective, the helicopter started to slide to the right. He added that he stopped moving the collective and applied left cyclic, and the helicopter stopped moving. He then continued to raise the collective to begin his hover. The helicopter rolled-over to the right, and impacted the ground. The flight instructor who was watching the student reported that he saw the helicopter move to the right about a foot, stop, and then, as the helicopter started to lift, it instantaneously rolled to the right and struck the ground. After the accident, both the instructor and student stated that it appeared the helicopter’s skid may have gotten caught in a crack on the ramp’s cement surface. ## Factual narrative The student helicopter pilot was preparing for his fourth scheduled solo flight, intending to depart on a local flight. The student reported that as he started to raise the helicopter’s collective, the helicopter started to slide to the right. He added that he stopped moving the collective and applied left cyclic, and the helicopter stopped moving. He then continued to raise the collective to begin his hover. The helicopter rolled-over to the right, and impacted the ground. The flight instructor who was watching the student, reported that he saw the helicopter move to the right about a foot, stop, and then as the helicopter started to lift, it “instantaneously, rolled to the right and struck the ground." After the accident, both the instructor and student stated that it appeared the helicopter’s skid may have gotten caught in a crack on the ramp’s cement surface. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N822SH](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N822SH-2010-04-21), registration cancelled 2010-04-21, S/N 3775, built 2005 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22 BETA - Registry model: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta) (registry code 7640110) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-series) (registry code 41575, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 3775 - Engines: LYCOMING O-360 SERIES 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Rotor Envy Helicopters - Registered owner: Nielsen Aircraft Corp - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: KEFD, Houston, TX - Destination: KEFD, Houston, TX - Flight plan: Unknown - Airport: KEFD, Ellington Field Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor, student; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; seat: right; flight hours: 999 total, 4 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 330° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 37 °F - Altimeter: 29.92 inHg ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20100313029099A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100313029099A), Mar 13, 2010: Robinson He R22 BETA, Houston, TX, Substantial damage. Pilot was raising the collective to come to a hover the aircraft started to slide to right. Pilot lowered collective moved the cyclic to the left to stop the… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 8, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75491. 1.8 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40328012&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Witness Statement (item 2, .PDF, 75 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40328013&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement-Redacted.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.