- Date
- May 23, 2022, 10:41 local (14:41 UTC)
- Place
- Nashua, NH
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N666URobinson Helicopter R44 II
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA - FSDO
- FAA report
- 20220523008219A
- Case key
- 105122
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 failure to maintain control of the helicopter during the takeoff, 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 private pilot was receiving a checkout in the helicopter from the flight instructor, and they were practicing pick-ups and touchdowns on the non-movement area of the airport. The flight instructor was demonstrating a pick-up to the pilot when the helicopter rolled left (due to a wind gust) and reached an angle where the instructor described that he was unable to recover, resulting in a dynamic rollover. The fuselage and main rotor were substantially damaged during the accident. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation, nor did the flight instructor report any.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N666U
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44 II
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 10476
- Built
- 2004
- Airframe hours
- 1,907
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540, 245 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 22, 2022 · 19 hours before
- Airport
- ASH · Boire Field Airport
- Equipment
- Electronic primary flight display, ADS-B
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
- Pilot
- Age
- 63
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 2, 2022
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 259 total · 33 in this make and model · 67 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.17 inHg
- Observed at
- ASH
- METAR
- KASH 231856Z 33011KT 10SM CLR 22/02 A3017 RMK AO2 SLP222 T02170017
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 13, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.1 MB 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.