# NTSB ERA17CA099: Robinson Helicopter R22, N7518G, Fallston, MD, February 4, 2017 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: February 4, 2017, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC) - Place: Fallston, MD - Coordinates: 39.507778, -76.406669 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5078&lon=-76.4067&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-hover: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 10, 2017 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 94685 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA17CA099 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/94685/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94685 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17CA099 ## Probable cause The student pilot's failure to relinquish the flight controls to the flight instructor, which resulted in a collision with terrain. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 96 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Action: lack of action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 792 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Attain/maintain not possible (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 20 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-hover: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 67 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering-hover: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 85 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot, who held a commercial fixed-wing pilot certificate, was performing hovering flight during his first helicopter lesson when the helicopter "suddenly jerked backwards." The helicopter's tail rotor gearbox and a portion of the tail rotor departed the helicopter, and the flight instructor landed the helicopter upright with no injuries to the two occupants. According to the flight instructor, he monitored the cyclic, collective, and tail rotor controls while explaining hovering flight and surrendered each control to the student pilot one at a time until the student pilot was fully controlling the helicopter. As the helicopter transitioned backward and began a "spin to the left," he requested and took control of the helicopter, but the student pilot did not surrender the controls, and the flight instructor could not overpower the student pilot's inputs before the tail rotor collided with terrain. The flight instructor further stated that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative The student pilot, who held a commercial fixed-wing pilot certificate, was performing hovering flight during his first helicopter lesson when the helicopter "suddenly jerked backwards." The helicopter's tail rotor gearbox and a portion of the tail rotor departed the helicopter, and the flight instructor landed the helicopter upright with no injuries to the two occupants.According to the flight instructor, he monitored the cyclic, collective, and tail rotor controls while explaining hovering flight, and surrendered each control to the student pilot one at a time until the student pilot was fully controlling the helicopter. As the helicopter transitioned backwards, and began a "spin to the left," he requested and took control of the helicopter, but the student pilot did not surrender the controls, and the flight instructor could not overpower the student pilot's inputs before the tail rotor collided with terrain. The flight instructor further stated that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7518G](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7518G-2019-02-25), registration cancelled 2019-02-25, S/N 4005, built 2006 (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 O-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-series) (registry code 41575, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 4005 - Year built: 2006 - Airframe hours: 3343 - Engines: LYCOMING O-360 SERIES 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Middle River Aviation LLC - Registered owner: Middle River Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, December 22, 2016, 55 hours before - Departed: MTN, Middle River, MD - Destination: W42, Fallston, MD - Airport: W42, Fallston, runway 04, 2,200 × 50 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 38; injuries: none; commercial, private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: right; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 312 total, 1 in this make and model, 223 as pilot in command, 7 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days - Flight instructor; age 27; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial, private; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 308 total, 247 as pilot in command, 72 in the last 90 days, 24 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 260° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 37 °F, dew point 7 °F - Altimeter: 30.38 inHg - Observed at: KMTN, 10 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20170204006799A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170204006799A), Feb 4, 2017: Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, Fallston, MD, Substantial damage. As per pilot statement, the pilot was training a first time student performing hover flight maneuvers. During training, the helicoptor tail rotor struck the… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 28, 2017, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94685. 8.4 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 3.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40450349&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Student Pilot's Statement (item 2, .PDF, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40450350&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Student%20Pilot%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - Photos (item 3, .PDF, 2 photos, 3.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40450351&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos-Master.PDF - Duplicate Case Memorandum (item 4, .PDF, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40459491&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Duplicate%20Case%20Memorandum-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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.