# NTSB DEN07CA115: Robinson R22 Beta, N74536, Albuquerque, NM, July 9, 2007 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 9, 2007, 10:10 local (16:10 UTC) - Place: Albuquerque, NM - Coordinates: 35.145, -106.794998 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1450&lon=-106.7950&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 30, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 66214 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN07CA115 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/66214/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN07CA115 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during an encounter with the loss of tail rotor effectiveness. Contributing factors were the high density altitude and the power lines. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, cruise - weather condition - high density altitude (contributing factor) - loss of tail rotor effectiveness - encountered, pilot in command (cause) - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with object, descent - emergency - precautionary landing - attempted, pilot in command - object - wire,transmission (contributing factor) ## Analysis The student pilot, he was on a solo cross country flight. Prior to departure from a local airport, he refueled the helicopter with 15 gallons of fuel. After departure, the helicopter headed north, turned to the east, and then turned to a southerly direction. While in cruise flight at 6,800 feet mean sea level (msl), the student reported that the helicopter began losing altitude. In an attempt to recover the altitude, the student increased collective and reduced forward airspeed. At 1,000 feet above ground level and airspeed of 50 to 60 knots, the student further increased the collective and the helicopter "pitched, then turned rapidly to the right." The student partially lowered the collective and did not attempt to use the pedals to stop the turn as the helicopter continued to lose altitude. After the helicopter rotated approximately 160 degrees to the right, the helicopter "stopped or slowed turning." While heading in a northerly direction, the student then noticed a radio tower in front of the helicopter and applied right cyclic to avoid the tower. The student attempted to land the helicopter to a parking lot. During the attempted landing, the helicopter contacted power lines, impacted the parking lot, and came to rest on its left side. Examination of the helicopter revealed no anomalies with the airframe or engine. The calculated density altitude for the weather conditions at the time of the accident was approximately 9,600 feet. ## Factual narrative According to a statement provided by the student pilot, he was on a solo cross country flight. Prior to departure from Double Eagle Airport (AEG), Albuquerque, New Mexico, he refueled the helicopter with 15 gallons of fuel. After departure from AEG, the helicopter headed north, turned to the east, and then turned to a southerly direction. While in cruise flight at 6,800 feet mean sea level (msl) approximately 5 miles north of Albuquerque International Sunport Airport (ABQ), the student reported that the helicopter began losing altitude. In an attempt to recover the altitude, the student increased collective and reduced forward airspeed. At 1,000 feet above ground level and airspeed of 50 to 60 knots, the student further increased the collective and the helicopter "pitched, then turned rapidly to the right." The student partially lowered the collective and did not attempt to use the pedals to stop the turn as the helicopter continued to lose altitude. After the helicopter rotated approximately 160 degrees to the right, the helicopter "stopped or slowed turning." While heading in a northerly direction, the student then noticed a radio tower in front of the helicopter and applied right cyclic to avoid the tower. The student then attempted to land the helicopter to a parking lot. During the attempted landing, the helicopter contacted power lines, impacted the parking lot, and came to rest on its left side. Examination of the helicopter revealed the tail boom was separated into three sections and the main rotor blades were bent. According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, no anomalies with the airframe or engine were noted. The student pilot was not injured. The calculated density altitude for the weather conditions at the time of the accident was approximately 9,600 feet. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N74536](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N74536-2017-07-03), registration cancelled 2017-07-03, S/N 3892, built 2005 (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-J2A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-j2a) (registry code 42314, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 3892 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-J2A reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Rotorspins LLC - Registered owner: David R. Johnson - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: AEG, ALBUQUERQUE, NM - Destination: 1N1, Edgewood, CO ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 40; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3; flight hours: 252 total, 37 in this make and model, 18 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day ## 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 20070709015919A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070709015919A), Jul 9, 2007: Robsin R22BETA, Albuquerque, NM, Substantial damage. (-23) On July 9, 2007 at 1009 MDT, a Robinson R-22-betan (N74536) registered to [privacy data omitted] and operated by the pilot [privacy data omitted]… 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.