- Date
- September 29, 2007, 10:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Silver City, NM
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N74557Robinson R-22 Beta
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20070929830149A
- Case key
- 66786
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 student pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter resulting in his settling with power and subsequent impact with terrain. A factor contributing to the accident was the trees.
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 student pilot reported that he was tying to locate a fence in the bottom of a narrow canyon . As he was making a turn, the helicopter encountered a tailwind which caused it to settle. The main rotor struck a tree and the helicopter subsequently impacted the terrain. An examination of the helicopter systems showed no anomalies.
Factual narrative
On September 29, 2007, at 1000 mountain daylight time, a Robinson R-22 BETA, N74557, piloted by a solo student pilot, descended uncontrollably, struck trees, and impacted terrain 40 miles northwest of Silver City, New Mexico. The local personal flight was being conducted without a flight plan under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The student pilot was not injured and the helicopter was substantially damaged. The flight originated from a private ranch at Douglas, Arizona, at 0630.
The student pilot reported that he was tying to locate a fence in the bottom of a narrow canyon . As he was making a turn, the helicopter encountered a tailwind which caused it to settle. The main rotor struck a tree and the helicopter subsequently impacted the terrain.
The helicopter was found resting on it's left side. An examination of the helicopter showed substantial damage to the cabin area and the main rotor separated. An examination of the helicopter systems showed no anomalies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N74557
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3900
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Richard R. Snure
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Douglas, AZ
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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,400 total · 360 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- SVC, 40 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.