# NTSB DEN05LA082: Robinson R22 Beta, N553SH, Provo, UT, May 23, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 23, 2005, 12:10 local (18:10 UTC) - Place: Provo, UT - Coordinates: 40.033332, -111.933334 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.0333&lon=-111.9333&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 13, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Salt Lake City, Utah - NTSB case key (mKey): 61575 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN05LA082 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/61575/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN05LA082 ## Probable cause the dual student’s failure to maintain adequate rotor rpm and the inadequate supervision by the instructor. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, hover - out of ground effect - remedial action - attempted, pilot in command(cfi) - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - rotor rpm - not maintained, dual student (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - soft - Roll over, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis The flight instructor and student pilot were practicing hovering with the student controlling the cyclic. The helicopter began to oscillate and drift to the right. The student put in more right cyclic and then released the controls when the LOW ROTOR RPM warning sounded. The instructor took the controls and attempted to recover but the aircraft struck terrain and rolled over. Damage to the aircraft included a severed tail boom, shattered windscreen, buckled rotor mast, and wrinkled skin. ## Factual narrative On May 23, 2005, at 1210 mountain daylight time, a Robinson R22 Beta, N553SH, operated by Silver State Helicopters and flown by a student pilot under the supervision of a commercial certificated flight instructor, was substantially damaged during an uncontrolled descent and impact with terrain near Provo, Utah. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The local instructional flight was being conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The student pilot was not injured, but the flight instructor sustained minor injuries. The flight originated at Provo, Utah. The flight instructor said that they were practicing hovering and the student had control of the cyclic. The helicopter began to oscillate and drift to the right. The student put in more right cyclic control, and then released the controls when the LOW ROTOR RPM warning sounded. The instructor "pulled collective and hard left cyclic" in an attempt to regain control of the aircraft but was unsuccessful, and the helicopter impacted terrain and rolled over. FAA investigators said the tail boom was severed, the main rotor was bent and separated from the engine, the rotor mast torsionally buckled, the windscreen was shattered, and the skin was wrinkled. The winds at the Provo airport, located 15 miles northeast of the accident site, at the time of the accident were 290 degrees at 6 knots and the instructor noted light turbulence. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N553SH](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N553SH-2017-04-13), registration cancelled 2017-04-13, S/N 3574, built 2004 (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 O-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-series) (registry code 41575, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 3574 - Airframe hours: 1435.3 - Engines: Lycoming 0-360-J2A 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Silver State Helicopters - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, May 1, 2005, 3.1 hours before - Departed: PVU, Provo, UT - Airport: PVU, Provo Municipal Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 22; injuries: minor; commercial, flight instructor; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 1, 2005; seat: left; flight hours: 260 total, 260 in this make and model, 177 as pilot in command, 82 in the last 90 days, 41 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 25; injuries: none; seat: right; flight hours: 8 total, 8 in this make and model, 8 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 290° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 29.98 inHg - Observed at: PVU, 15 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 20050523008819A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050523008819A), May 23, 2005: Robsin R22BETA, Provo, UT, Substantial damage. (-23) The pilot was practicing a takeoff and landing at a remote site. The instructor said he then instructed the student to practice hovering. He said 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.