- Date
- February 8, 2008, 09:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Houston, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Other
- Aircraft
- N2364BRobinson R22 Beta
- Defining event
- Other: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20080208010969A
- Case key
- 67485
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 improper use of the collective and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action, which resulted in a dynamic rollover.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The certified flight instructor and the student pilot flew to a practice area to work on hovering techniques. Before the flight instructor turned over the controls to the student, he discussed with the student how to make a positive transfer of the controls and also the importance of not having a tight grip on the controls. The student took control of the helicopter and practiced hovering for approximately 10 minutes, when the flight instructor felt the helicopter begin to settle. Before the flight instructor could react, the student pilot "quickly" pulled the collective full up, which overrode the throttle and the main rotor began to lose rpm. The instructor immediately made an attempt to lower the collective and increase engine rpm, but the left skid contacted the ground, and the helicopter rolled over on to its left side. The helicopter sustained damage to the main rotor blades and the firewall.
Factual narrative
The certified flight instructor and the student pilot flew to a practice area to work on hovering techniques. Before the flight instructor turned over the controls to the student, he discussed with the student how to make a positive transfer of the controls and also the importance of not having a tight grip on the controls. The student took control of the helicopter and practiced hovering for approximately 10 minutes, when the flight instructor felt the helicopter begin to settle. Before the flight instructor could react, the student pilot "quickly" pulled the collective full up, which overrode the throttle and the main rotor began to lose rpm. The instructor immediately made an attempt to lower the collective and increase engine rpm, but the left skid contacted the ground, and the helicopter rolled over on to its left side. The helicopter sustained damage to the main rotor blades and the firewall.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2364B
- Reported as
- Robinson R22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2362
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Helicopter Services Incorporated
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- DWH · Houston, TX
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
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 342 total · 249 in this make and model
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 24
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 3 in this make and model
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.