- Date
- January 6, 2012, 15:53 local (20:53 UTC)
- Place
- St Petersburg, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Uncontrolled descent
- Aircraft
- N8066URobinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Defining event
- Uncontrolled descent: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 7, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- Case key
- 82632
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 delayed remedial action during the pilot-receiving-instruction's practice autorotation that developed a high rate of descent. Contributing to the accident was the pilot-receiving-instruction's improper control inputs during the practice autorotation.
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 helicopter flight instructor, he was preparing a helicopter-rated commercial pilot for his helicopter flight instructor check ride. After the pilot receiving instruction completed a straight-in autorotation, the flight instructor demonstrated a throttle-off, 180-degree autorotation from 600 feet above ground level (agl). The pilot receiving instruction then attempted the same maneuver, but during the entry, the helicopter airspeed became slow while the rotor rpm remained "in the green." The pilot receiving instruction lowered the nose of the helicopter, which increased airspeed. As the helicopter turned onto final approach at an altitude of about 300 feet agl, the flight instructor advised the pilot receiving instruction to ease back on the cyclic while raising the collective to maintain rotor rpm. About 150 feet agl, at an airspeed of about 85 knots, and a rate of descent of about 2,000 feet per minute, the flight instructor took over control of the helicopter and began to pull back on the cyclic while raising the collective. Despite the flight instructor’s efforts, the helicopter continued a tail-low descent into the ground, severing the tail boom. Postaccident examination revealed no preexisting mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the helicopter flight instructor, he was preparing a helicopter-rated commercial pilot for his helicopter flight instructor check ride. After the pilot receiving instruction completed a straight-in autorotation, the flight instructor demonstrated a throttle-off, 180-degree autorotation from 600 feet above ground level (agl). The pilot receiving instruction then attempted the same maneuver, but during the entry, the helicopter airspeed became slow while the rotor rpm remained "in the green." The pilot receiving instruction lowered the nose of the helicopter, which increased airspeed. As the helicopter turned onto final approach at an altitude of about 300 feet agl, the flight instructor advised the pilot receiving instruction to ease back on the cyclic while raising the collective to maintain rotor rpm. About 150 feet agl, at an airspeed of about 85 knots, and a rate of descent of about 2,000 feet per minute, the flight instructor took over control of the helicopter and began to pull back on the cyclic while raising the collective. Despite the flight instructor’s efforts, the helicopter continued a tail-low descent into the ground, severing the tail boom. Postaccident examination revealed no preexisting mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8066U
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1273
- Airframe hours
- 4,584
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Bayphoto Helicopter LLC
- Registered owner
- Bayphoto Helicopter LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 16, 2011
- Departed
- SPG · St Petersburg, FL
- Destination
- PIE · Clearwater, FL
- Airport
- SPG · Albert Whitted Field, runway 18, 2,864 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
- 27
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 21, 2010
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,528 total · 1,485 in this make and model · 1,249 as pilot in command · 193 in the last 90 days · 48 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 36
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 30, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 276 total · 276 in this make and model · 134 as pilot in command · 35 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.13 inHg
- Observed at
- SPG
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 29, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 MB in all.