- Date
- October 4, 2011, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Hibbing, MN
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4170MRobinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 19, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA-MSP-FSDO
- FAA report
- 20111004023399A
- Case key
- 82009
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 private pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter during the landing flare.
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 student held a private pilot certificate with a helicopter rating and was receiving instruction toward a commercial helicopter pilot certificate when the accident occurred. According to the instructor, the student pulled aft cyclic too early while beginning a landing flare following a practice autorotation. This resulted in an increase in main rotor rpm and a decrease in airspeed. The instructor then adjusted the throttle in an attempt to decrease the rpm. The instructor stated that the student then applied excessive left pedal, which resulted in the helicopter making a 180-degree turn while the helicopter was six feet above the ground. The instructor stated that he then decreased the collective and put the helicopter on the ground before the situation worsened. The helicopter contacted the ground as it skidded backward, resulting in substantial damage to the tail boom.
Factual narrative
The student held a private pilot certificate with a helicopter rating and was receiving instruction toward a commercial helicopter pilot certificate when the accident occurred. According to the instructor, the student pulled aft cyclic too early while beginning a landing flare following a practice autorotation. This resulted in an increase in main rotor rpm and a decrease in airspeed. The instructor then adjusted the throttle in an attempt to decrease the rpm. The instructor stated the student then applied excessive left pedal, which resulted in the helicopter making a 180 degree turn while the helicopter was six feet above the ground. The instructor stated he then decreased the collective and put the helicopter on the ground before the situation worsened. The helicopter contacted the ground as it skidded backwards resulting in substantial damage to the tail boom.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4170M
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 4328
- Airframe hours
- 1,127
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-J2A, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Casey M. Hansen
- Registered owner
- Vermilion Ventures LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 18, 2011 · 36 hours before
- Departed
- HIB · Hibbing, MN
- Destination
- HIB · Hibbing, MN
- Airport
- HIB · Range Regional Airport, runway 13, 6,750 × 150 ft, concrete
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 · 3
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 27
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 30, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 266 total · 230 in this make and model · 224 as pilot in command · 41 in the last 90 days · 26 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 21
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 1
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 21
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 20, 2010
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 170 total · 140 in this make and model · 52 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.14 inHg
- Observed at
- HIB
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 2, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 554 KB 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.