# NTSB DEN03LA085: Robinson R22 Beta, N7176S, West Jordan, UT, May 24, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 24, 2003, 15:30 local (21:30 UTC) - Place: West Jordan, UT - Coordinates: 40.619445, -111.992774 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.6194&lon=-111.9928&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 25, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Of - NTSB case key (mKey): 57060 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN03LA085 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57060/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN03LA085 ## Probable cause The loss of power for undetermined reasons. Also causal was the student's failure to maintain aircraft control and the instructor's inadequate supervision. The instructor's delayed remedial action as a contributing factor. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, approach - vfr pattern - downwind - reason for occurrence undetermined (contributing factor) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - autorotation - initiated, dual student - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - aircraft control - not maintained, dual student (cause) - remedial action - delayed, pilot in command(cfi) (contributing factor) - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) ## Analysis The flight instructor and private pilot who was receiving instruction were practicing landings when the instructor asked "what would be his reaction if the engine quit on [the] downwind [leg]." They entered an autorotation from an altitude of 5,200 feet msl (600 feet agl) and an airspeed of 75 knots. The student turned the helicopter into the wind but lost 15 knots and rotor rpm (96 percent). The instructor noticed the rpm drop and added power, but there was no increase in rpm. Altitude had dropped to 4,900 feet msl (300 feet agl), and the rate of descent was increasing. The instructor kept the collective control down and pulled back on the cyclic control to transfer speed into rotor rpm and altitude. Engine and rotor rpm needles "were married at 93% and 95%." He increased collective to reduce the rate of descent. The throttle was fully open. The low rotor rpm horn never shut off, and there was no audible increase in rpm. The instructor said that as they passed 50 feet agl, the rpm was so low that "the helicopter was close to stall." He leveled off, but the helicopter struck the ground and bounced several times, collapsing the skids. It rolled over on its left side, shearing off the main rotor and tail rotor blades. The fuselage skin was also wrinkled. Nothing was found that would have precluded the development of engine power. Based on an instructor interview,the FAA concluded that the flight instructor should have had the student make a straight ahead autorotation instead of a turning autorotation. The student allowed rpm to drop so that it would have been difficult, if not impossible, to recover. ## Factual narrative On May 24, 2003, approximately 1530 mountain daylight time, a Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta, N7176S, registered to the flight instructor and doing business as Silver State Helicopters, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain at 6800 South Airport Road, West Jordan, Utah. The flight instructor and the private pilot receiving instruction were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the instructional flight being operated under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated in West Jordan approximately 1505. According to the accident report submitted by the flight instructor, they remained in the left-hand traffic pattern and were practicing landings on taxiway Bravo, parallel to runway 34. On the third circuit, the instructor asked the student "what would be his reaction if the engine quit on [the] downwind [leg]." At this point they "entered an autorotation by lowering the collective full down and rolling throttle off" into the idle position. They were at 5,200 feet msl (mean sea level) or 600 feet agl (above ground level). Airspeed was 75 knots. The student turned the helicopter 180 degrees into the wind but lost 15 knots of airspeed and rpm (revolutions per minute) dropped to 96 percent. The instructor noticed the rpm drop and added power, but there was no increase in rpm. Altitude had dropped to 4,900 feet msl (300 feet agl), and the rate of descent was increasing. The instructor kept the collective control down and pulled back on the cyclic control to transfer speed into rotor rpm and altitude. RPM and rate of descent stabilized. The instructor said the "[engine and rotor rpm] needles were married at 93% and 95%." He increased collective to reduce the rate of descent. The throttle was fully open. The low rotor rpm horn never shut off and there was no audible increase in rpm. The instructor said that as they passed 50 feet agl, the rpm was so low that "the helicopter was close to stall." He leveled off, but the helicopter struck the ground and bounced several times, collapsing the skids. It rolled over on its left side, shearing off the main rotor and tail rotor blades. The fuselage skin was also wrinkled. FAA inspectors examined the helicopter and found nothing that would have precluded the development of engine power. They also interviewed the instructor. This was the student's first attempt at an autorotation. FAA concluded that the instructor should have had the student make a straight ahead autorotation instead of a turning autorotation. The student allowed rpm to drop that would have been difficult, if not impossible, to recover. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7176S](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7176S-2003-08-27), registration cancelled 2003-08-27, S/N 2971, built 1999 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Robinson R22 BETA - Registry model: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta) (registry code 7640110) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-360-C1F](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-360-c1f) (registry code 41573, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 2971 - Airframe hours: 2154 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-J2A 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Benjamin J. Schenk, doing business as Silver State Helicopters - Registered owner: Matthew Spitzer - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, May 23, 2003, 6 hours before - Departed: U42, West Jordan, UT - Destination: U42 - Airport: U42, Salt Lake City Municipal 2 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 21; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review July 4, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 960 total, 787 in this make and model, 922 as pilot in command, 144 in the last 90 days, 56 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Pilot; injuries: none; private; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review October 16, 2002; seat: right; flight hours: 114 total, 104 in this make and model, 69 as pilot in command, 32 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 170° at 9 knots, gusting 19 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 12,000 ft broken - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 39 °F - Altimeter: 29.87 inHg - Observed at: SLC, 11 nm away ## 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 20030524010239A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030524010239A), May 24, 2003: Robsin R22BETA, Salt Lake City, UT, Substantial damage. (-23) A flight instructor and student were conducting flight maneuvers at a time of high density altitude. The student was practicing a autorotation. The… ## Other investigations on N7176S (1) 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. - [NTSB LAX02LA189](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA189), Jun 8, 2002: Robinson R22 Beta (N7176S), Henderson, NV, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's misjudged landing flare during an autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing. The pilot's failure to follow the listed emergency procedures in the rotorcraft flight manual and the… 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.