# NTSB ERA13LA104: Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta, N345VH, Tampa, FL, January 2, 2013

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: January 2, 2013, 18:10 local (23:10 UTC)
- Place: Tampa, FL
- Coordinates: 27.915555, -82.449447 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.9156&lon=-82.4494&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Emergency descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/600) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Autorotation: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report August 7, 2013
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 85946
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA13LA104
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/85946/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85946
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13LA104

## Probable cause

The student pilot’s delayed throttle application during the practice autorotation and the flight instructor’s lack of immediate remedial action, which resulted in a hard landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: descent rate](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037/cases.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 242 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md)
- [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 35 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Autorotation: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 54 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The flight instructor and her student were practicing autorotations. The student entered a practice autorotation at 500 feet above ground level (agl) and at 70 knots. About 40 feet agl, the student bled off airspeed by flaring the helicopter. The student advanced the throttle, but the rpm started to decay. The instructor had her hands on the controls and added throttle to arrest the rpm decay. When the rpm continued to decay, she took the controls and performed a hovering autorotation. The helicopter impacted a grassy area next to the runway, bounced, and rolled over, coming to an immediate stop. The fuselage and main rotor sustained substantial damage. The flight instructor reported that there was excessive play in the left throttle and that she had reported the condition to the operator’s mechanic twice previously. Examination of the throttle system found it to be in an airworthy condition.

## Factual narrative

On January 2, 2013, about 1810 eastern standard time, a Robinson R22 Beta, N345VH, was substantially damaged following a practice autorotation to runway 22 at Peter O Knight Airport (TPF), Tampa, Florida. The flight instructor and a student pilot were not injured. The helicopter was operated by Helicopter Academy under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at Clearwater, Florida (PIE) about 1715. The flight instructor reported that she landed at PIE to pick up her student and proceeded to TPF for approaches and practice autorotations. The first three approaches were uneventful. During the fourth approach to runway 22, the student entered a practice autorotation at 500 feet above ground level (agl) and at 70 knots. About 40 feet agl, the student bled off airspeed by making “baby flares.” She reported that the student rolled on the throttle, but the governor did not catch and the rpm started to decay. The instructor had her hands on the controls and added throttle to arrest the rpm decay. When the rpm continued to decay, she took the controls and performed a hovering autorotation. The helicopter impacted a grassy area next to the runway, bounced, and rolled over, coming to an immediate stop. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector responded to the accident site and examined the wreckage. The inspector confirmed substantial damage to the airframe. Both main rotor blades were bent in several places. The engine firewall was buckled. The tail boom was crushed at the fuselage attachment point and the horizontal stabilizer was bent about 90 degrees. The flight instructor reported to the inspector that there was excessive “play” in the left throttle and she had reported the condition to the operator’s maintenance personnel twice previously, and was informed that the play was normal. On January 8, 2013, the FAA re-inspected the helicopter throttle system with the assistance of a technical representative from Robinson Helicopter Company. The inspector reported that, based on the description of the throttle rigging provided to the technical representative, the throttle was in an airworthy condition. Recorded weather at PTF at the time of the accident included calm surface wind.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N345VH](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N345VH-2015-05-11), registration cancelled 2015-05-11, S/N 2314, built 1993 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22 BETA
- Registry model: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta) (registry code 7640110) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 2314
- Airframe hours: 3417
- Engines: LYCOMING O-320 SERIES 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Helicopter Academy
- Registered owner: Spitzer Matthew L
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, November 12, 2012
- Departed: PIE, Clearwater, FL
- Destination: TPF, Tampa, FL
- Airport: TPF, Peter O Knight Airport, runway 22, 3,580 × 100 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Flight instructor; age 41; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 15, 2012; seat: left; flight hours: 871 total, 820 as pilot in command, 89 in the last 90 days, 56 in the last 30 days
- Student pilot; age 35; injuries: none; student; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: right; flight hours: 68 total

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observed at: TPF

## 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 20130102000319A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130102000319A), Jan 2, 2013: Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, Tampa, FL, Substantial damage. Upon arrival I found the aircraft, a Robinson R-22 beta N345VH, just off of the left side of runway 22 laying on its right side approximately 1000 feet down…

## Docket (7 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 5, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85946. 3.0 MB in all.

- FAA Inspector's Statement (item 1, .PDF, 14 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40390348&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF
- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 2, .PDF, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40390546&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Flight Instructor's Written Statement (item 3, .PDF, 257 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40390350&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Flight%20Instructor%27s%20Written%20Statement-Redacted.PDF
- Student Pilot's Written Statement (item 4, .PDF, 283 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40390351&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Student%20Pilot%27s%20Written%20Statement-Redacted.PDF
- Excerpts - Maintenance Logbooks (item 5, .PDF, 265 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40390356&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Excerpts%20-%20Maintenance%20Logbooks-Redacted.PDF
- Photo 1: Accident Helicopter, View from Left, Aft Side (FAA Digital Photo) (item 6, .PDF, 502 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40390352&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%3A%20Accident%20Helicopter,%20View%20from%20Left,%20Aft%20Side%20(FAA%20Digital%20Photo)-Master.PDF
- Photo 2: Fuselage Buckling (FAA Digital Photo) (item 7, .PDF, 545 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40390353&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%3A%20Fuselage%20Buckling%20(FAA%20Digital%20Photo)-Master.PDF

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.

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