- Date
- February 3, 2009, 12:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Sevierville, TN
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7687HRobinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-hover: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 13, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090203000689A
- Case key
- 73315
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 flight instructor's improper remedial action following the student pilot's loss of control. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot's loss of control.
Findings · 3
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
According to the flight instructor, the student pilot was hover taxiing the helicopter along a taxiway that paralleled Runway 10 when she asked him to stop and make a left, 90-degree pedal turn. At the time, winds were from 230 degrees at 8 knots. The student pilot initiated the pedal turn and, as the helicopter reached the 90-degree position, it began a spin to the left, which increased in velocity. The flight instructor then advised the student pilot that she had the controls; however, the spin would not stop. It became "very fast and I wasn't sure which way we were spinning." The flight instructor then reduced the throttle, but the spin "got faster," so she quickly lowered the collective "to get the helicopter on the ground." The helicopter then landed hard, the left landing gear impacted the engine exhaust, the tail rotor blades hit the ground and were sheared off, and the tail boom was separated near the transmission. No preaccident mechanical anomalies were noted with the helicopter.
Factual narrative
According to the flight instructor, the student pilot was hover taxiing the helicopter along a taxiway that paralleled runway 10, when she asked him to stop, and make a left, 90-degree pedal turn. At the time, winds were from 230 degrees, at 8 knots. The student pilot initiated the pedal turn, and as the helicopter reached the 90-degree position, it began a spin to the left, which increased in velocity. The flight instructor then advised the student pilot that she had the controls; however, the spin would not stop. It became "very fast and I wasn't sure which way we were spinning." The flight instructor then reduced the throttle, but the spin "got faster," so she quickly lowered the collective "to get the helicopter on the ground." The helicopter then landed "hard," the left landing gear impacted the engine exhaust, the tail rotor blades hit the ground and were sheared off, and the tail boom was separated near the transmission. No preaccident mechanical anomalies were noted with the helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7687H
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 4370
- Airframe hours
- 280
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-J2A, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Scenic Helicopters
- Registered owner
- Higgins Leasing Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 6, 2008 · 93 hours before
- Departed
- GKT · Sevierville, TN
- Destination
- GKT · Sevierville, TN
- Airport
- GKT · Gatlinburg - Pigeon Forge
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
- 35
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2
- Last flight review
- August 18, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 530 total · 450 in this make and model
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 32
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 2
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 15 total · 15 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 16, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 423 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.