# NTSB FTW00LA269: Robinson R-22B, N7183X, Tomball, TX, September 23, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 23, 2000, 15:15 local (20:15 UTC) - Place: Tomball, TX - Coordinates: 30.039163, -95.530105 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.0392&lon=-95.5301&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor - Status: Completed, report April 19, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 50366 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW00LA269 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/50366/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW00LA269 ## Probable cause The student pilot's abrupt lowering of the collective. Factors were the student pilot's lack of experience in helicopters and the CFI's delayed remedial action. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with terrain/water, hover - in ground effect - lowering of collective - abrupt, dual student (cause) - lack of total experience in kind of aircraft, dual student (contributing factor) - remedial action - delayed, pilot in command(cfi) (contributing factor) - Roll over, landing ## Analysis The certified flight instructor (CFI) reported that the helicopter was in a 3-foot hover with the student pilot on the controls, when the aircraft began to drift 'slightly' to the right. As the CFI started to correct by applying left cyclic, the student 'abruptly' lowered the collective. Subsequently, the right skid contacted the ground and the helicopter rolled over to the right. A ground impression, corresponding to the right skid was found after the accident. The helicopter's tail boom and main rotor drive system were destroyed and cabin was substantially damaged. The student pilot had received about 4 hours of helicopter instruction at the time of the accident. He held a commercial airman's certificate with single and multi-engine airplane ratings, and was a certified flight instructor for single and multi-engine airplanes. ## Factual narrative On September 23, 2000, at 1515 central daylight time, a Robinson R-22B helicopter, N7183X, was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground while hovering over a grassy practice area on the David Wayne Hooks Airport, Tomball, Texas. The helicopter was registered to and operated by Helicopter Services Inc., of Spring, Texas. The certified flight instructor (CFI) received minor injuries, and the student pilot received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The flight originated at 1440 from David Wayne Hooks Airport. The CFI reported that the helicopter was in a 3-foot hover with the student pilot on the controls, when the aircraft began to drift "slightly" to the right. As the CFI started to correct by applying left cyclic, the student "abruptly" lowered the collective. Subsequently, the right skid contacted the ground and the helicopter rolled over to the right. Visual inspection of the accident site by an FAA inspector revealed a ground impression corresponding to the right skid. The helicopter's tail boom and main rotor drive system was destroyed. The cabin was substantially damaged. The student pilot had received about 4 hours of helicopter instruction at the time of the accident. He held a commercial airman's certificate with single and multi-engine airplane ratings, and was a certified flight instructor for single and multi-engine airplanes. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7183X](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7183X), registered now, S/N 2887 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Robinson R-22B - Registry model: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta) (registry code 7640110) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 2887 - Airframe hours: 1615 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-J2A 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Helicopter Services, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, September 21, 2000, 19 hours before - Departed: DWH - Airport: DWH, David Wayne Hooks ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 22; commercial, private; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 722 total, 620 in this make and model, 612 as pilot in command, 205 in the last 90 days, 90 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 95 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg ## 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 20000923014649A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000923014649A), Sep 23, 2000: Robsin R22BETA, Houston, TX, Substantial damage. (-23) Instructor pilot was slow correcting non-helicopter rated student who allowed a/c to drift right at a low hover. Right skid struck the ground causing… 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.