- Date
- December 15, 2004, 08:40 local (15:40 UTC)
- Place
- Provo, UT
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N333UHRobinson R22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 8, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20041215032149A
- Case key
- 60725
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 clearance from the water. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's inability to detect a descent because of the obscuration between the water and the horizon due to the gray sky
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to the flight instructor, he took control of the helicopter and departed in the direction of the lake. He stated that due to the gray sky, it was difficult to discern between the water and the sky. According to the student, however, the instructor lowered the helicopter's nose during the turn. The instructor "leveled the ship and pulled in power." The student stated that the helicopter "lost lift and sank towards the water." The landing skid caught the water and the helicopter rolled over and came to rest on its skid in approximately 2 feet of water, 250 feet off shore. The main rotor blades were bent and the cabin area was crushed. An examination of the helicopter's systems, conducted by the FAA, revealed no anomalies.
Factual narrative
On December 15, 2004, at approximately 0840 mountain standard time, a Robinson R22, N333UH, operated by Universal Helicopters, Inc., was substantially damaged when it impacted water during takeoff from Lincoln Beach, located on the southeast shore of Utah Lake, near Provo, Utah. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The instructional flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The flight instructor and private pilot receiving instruction reported minor injuries. The local flight originated from Provo Municipal Airport, Provo, Utah, at approximately 0800.
According to a statement submitted by the flight instructor, they were practicing touch and go landings and had landed on the beach. The flight instructor took control of the helicopter and departed in the direction of the lake. He stated that due to the gray sky, it was difficult to discern between the water and the sky. He could "see the water getting closer [and] pulled power and leveled off." The skid touched the water and the helicopter "flipped over."
According to the student; however, the instructor lowered the helicopter's nose during the turn. The instructor "leveled the ship and pulled in power." The student stated that the helicopter "lost lift and sank towards the water." The landing skid caught the water and the helicopter rolled over and came to rest on its skids in approximately 2 feet of water, 250 feet off shore. The main rotor blades were bent and the cabin area was crushed. An examination of the helicopter's systems, conducted by the FAA, revealed no anomalies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N333UH
- Reported as
- Robinson R22
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3545
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Universal Helicopters Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- PVU · Provo, UT
- Airport
- Na
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 37
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- October 25, 2003
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 860 in this make and model · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Injuries
- Minor
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 28 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.43 inHg
- Observed at
- PVU
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.