- Date
- October 15, 2006, 09:19 local (15:19 UTC)
- Place
- Hope, NM
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N75262Robinson R22 Beta
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 31, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Albuquerque, New Mexico
- FAA report
- 20061015020809A
- Case key
- 64712
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 pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. Contributing factors in this accident included the sudden wind shift and high density altitude, resulting in the helicopter settling with power, and the high vegetation.
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
The pilot, who was conducting a wildlife survey, said he made a pedal turn "to look at something." He encountered what he thought was a reduction in rotor blade RPM, and descended towards the south downslope of a hill. He said the wind had changed direction from out of the north, and he experienced settling with power due to density altitude, power available, and adverse wind conditions. He made a run-on landing. The helicopter struck a clump of bushes and rolled over.
Factual narrative
On October 12, 2006, approximately 0919 mountain daylight time, a Robinson R22 BETA, N75262, piloted by a commercial pilot, was destroyed when it struck terrain following an in-flight loss of control while maneuvering at the Felix Road Ranch near Artesia, New Mexico. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and passenger on board the airplane were not injured. The local wildlife-count flight originated at Felix River Ranch at approximately 0800 .
The pilot told an FAA inspector that he was flying along a ridge east to west at low altitude. He encountered what he thought was a reduction in rotor blade RPM, and descended to the south downslope. The wind had changed direction from out of the north and he experienced settling with power due to density altitude, power available, and adverse wind conditions.
In his accident report, the pilot said he was conducting a wildlife survey and when he took off, the wind was out of the south. About 45 minutes into the flight, the pilot made a [pedal] turn "to look at something. The wind had changed out of the west and when I turned back, I was going downwind." The helicopter began to descend towards the downslope of a hill. The pilot made a run-on landing, hit a clump of bushes, and rolled over.
FAA personnel examined the helicopter on site and found it laying on its right side. Both main rotor blades were broken, the left landing skid was broken, the tail boom and tail rotor were severed, and the fuselage frame was buckled.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N75262
- Reported as
- Robinson R22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3515
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Operator
- Earl A. Wheatly, doing business as Aerial Observation
- Registered owner
- Earl A. Wheatly
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- NONE · Felix River Rch, NM
- Destination
- NONE
- Airport
- ATS · Artesia
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 44
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,116 total · 1,455 in this make and model · 199 in the last 90 days · 114 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.67 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.