- Date
- August 9, 2023, 10:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Sevierville, TN · On the taxiway of the airport
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N798MGRobinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20230809013769A
- Case key
- 192839
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 improper flight control inputs during the practice hovering autorotation that resulted in a loss of control and impact with terrain.
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
The flight instructor and his student were practicing hovering autorotations over an asphalt taxiway. The flight instructor reported that during the third autorotation, he either did not completely roll the throttle into the spring-loaded override, or he inadvertently allowed the throttle to open while arresting the descent. The helicopter climbed to about 25 ft above ground level and then it entered an uncontrolled right spin. The flight instructor immediately communicated to the student pilot that he had taken over the flight controls but was unsure if the student pilot had fully relinquished the flight controls. The flight instructor maneuvered the helicopter over a grass field and initiated a hovering autorotation. The helicopter landed hard and spread the skids, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. The flight instructor shutdown the helicopter and he and his student were able to egress without further incident. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N798MG
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2704
- Built
- 1997
- Airframe hours
- 2,591.7
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-J2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Sevier County Aviation
- Registered owner
- Keepem Turnin LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 20, 2023
- Airport
- GKT · Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Airport, runway 10/28, 5,506 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B
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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 23, 2023
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 262.7 total · 201.7 in this make and model · 203.6 as pilot in command · 76.2 in the last 90 days · 34.4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- KDKX, 18 nm away
- METAR
- KDKX 091415Z AUTO 30003KT 10SM CLR 24/20 A3002 RMK A01
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 10, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.1 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.