# NTSB CEN22LA326: Helicopteres Guimbal Cabri G2, N457PA, Madison, IL, July 19, 2022

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: July 19, 2022, 10:27 local (15:27 UTC)
- Place: Madison, IL · bean field
- Coordinates: 38.682123, -90.102261
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.6821&lon=-90.1023&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing: Loss of tail rotor effectiveness](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/242)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA Flight Standards
- NTSB case key (mKey): 105522
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN22LA326
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105522/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105522
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA326

## Probable cause

Loss of tail rotor effectiveness resulting in an in-flight loss of control.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Flight crew (probable cause); cases with it: [Helicopteres Guimbal CABRI G2, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=9000001), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Info processing/decision: identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Helicopteres Guimbal CABRI G2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md?model=9000001), [All aircraft, 559 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md)
- [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Helicopteres Guimbal CABRI G2, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=9000001), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing: Loss of tail rotor effectiveness](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/242) (defining event); cases with it: [Helicopteres Guimbal CABRI G2, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/242/sequence.md?model=9000001), [All aircraft, 100 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/242/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240); cases with it: [Helicopteres Guimbal CABRI G2, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=9000001), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)
- [Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Helicopteres Guimbal CABRI G2, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=9000001), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The flight instructor and student pilot reported that the purpose of the flight was to practice off-airport landings. On the fourth and final landing, they set up a steep approach with the student pilot on the flight controls. The helicopter was above the effective translational lift (ETL) airspeed as they descended through 100 ft above ground level (agl) in a stabilized descent. The helicopter then started to yaw left and the flight instructor took the controls. As the spin rate increased, the flight instructor’s efforts to regain control were not successful. He then realized the helicopter was spinning out of control. He lowered the collective and the spin rate slowed as the helicopter contacted the ground. The flight instructor shut down the engine and both pilots exited the helicopter. The helicopter’s fuselage sustained substantial damage. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operations.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N457PA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N457PA), registered now, S/N 1247, built 2019 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HELICOPTERES GUIMBAL CABRI G2
- Registry model: [Helicopteres Guimbal CABRI G2](https://openairdocs.org/model/helicopteres-guimbal-cabri-g2) (registry code 9000001) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming O-360-J2A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-j2a) (registry code 42314, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 1247
- Year built: 2019
- Airframe hours: 1702
- Engines: Lycoming O-360-J2A 145 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Ideal Aviation Illinois LLC, doing business as Ideal Aviation
- Registered owner: Ideal Aviation Illinois LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, June 3, 2022, 73 hours before
- Departed: CPS, Cahokia, IL
- Destination: CPS, Cahokia, IL
- Airport: CPS, St. Louis Downtown
- Equipment: ADS-B, Electronic primary flight display

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Flight instructor; age 39; injuries: none; flight instructor, airline transport; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 17, 2022; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 267 total, 22 in this make and model, 176 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours
- Student pilot; age 26; injuries: none; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 8 total, 8 in this make and model, 0 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: 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observed at: KCPS, 7 nm away
- METAR: METAR KCPS 191453Z 15006KT 10SM CLR 29/22 A2990

## 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 20220719007639A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220719007639A), Jul 19, 2022: Helicopteres Guimbal CABRI G2, Granite City, IL, Substantial damage. On July 19, 2022, at approximately 1227L, a guimbal cabri G-2 helicopter, N457PA, registered to a part 141 flight school, ideal aviation (ch), made a hard…

## Docket (6 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 12, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105522. 37.8 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 20.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14233710&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Report%20--%20CEN22LA326_redacted-Rel.pdf
- Flight instructor's statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 104 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14241592&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Tuckett%20Statement_redacted-Rel.pdf
- Student pilot's statement (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 59 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14241430&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Waelterman%20Statement-Rel.pdf
- Email correspondence -- airplane operator (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 154 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14241794&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Email%20--%20Ideal%20Aviation_Houska%20--%2025Jul2022_redacted-Rel.pdf
- Accident photos (item 5, PDF, 6 pages, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14258426&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Report%20Photos%20--%20CEN22LA326-Rel.pdf
- Helicopter flying handbook (excerpt) -- loss of tail rotor effectiveness (item 6, PDF, 5 pages, 15.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14258930&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20HFH%20--%20LTE-Rel.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.

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