- Date
- August 14, 2010, 08:50 local (14:50 UTC)
- Place
- Mack, CO
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N404LERobinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 16, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- Case key
- 77003
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 maintain control of the helicopter during a practice autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing.
Findings · 2
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 certificated flight instructor (CFI) and his student were practicing a 180-degree autorotation with a power recovery occurring at the hover. The helicopter's sink rate increased dramatically in the flare, about 40 feet above the ground. The CFI initiated a go-around by increasing power, raising the collective, and pushing the cyclic forward. The helicopter continued to descend and contacted the runway in a level attitude. After it came to a stop, the CFI confirmed that the main rotor blade had struck the tail boom. The instructor reported that there were no preimpact mechanical deficiencies with the helicopter.
Factual narrative
The certified flight instructor and his student were practicing a 180 degree autorotation with a power recovery to a hover, when the helicopter's sink rate increased dramatically in the flare about 40 feet above the ground. The flight instructor called for a go-around and increased power, raised the collective, and pushed the cyclic forward. The helicopter continued to descend and contacted the runway in a level attitude. After it came to a stop, a vibration was felt and the instructor confirmed that the main rotor blade had struck the tail boom. The instructor reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N404LE
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 4040
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-J2A, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- North Canyon Helicopters
- Registered owner
- Nebo Helicopter Rebuild LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Grand Junction, CO
- Destination
- C07 · Mack, CO
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- C07 · Mack-Mesa Airport, runway 07
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 36
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 1,471 total · 1,313 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 29, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 400 KB in all.