- Date
- December 22, 2000, 11:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Mesquite, TX
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7158MRobinson R-22B2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 19, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20001222025309A
- Case key
- 50863
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 student pilot's abrupt control input, which resulted in a tail rotor blade strike. Factors were the CFI's delay in taking remedial action and the student pilot's lack of total experience.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Shortly after liftoff to a 10-foot hover, the certified flight instructor (CFI) transferred control of the helicopter to the student pilot. The student then 'jerked' back on the cyclic and the tail rotor struck the ground before the CFI could regain control. As the helicopter 'spun' to the right, the CFI attempted to reduce the throttle and lower the collective. The helicopter came to rest on its left side and both occupants evacuated. The helicopter sustained structural damage to the tail boom, cabin, and main rotor system. The instructional flight was the second for the student pilot who had 2 hours of total flight time.
Factual narrative
On December 22, 2000, approximately 1100 central standard time, a Robinson R-22B2 helicopter, N7158M, registered to and operated by Sky Helicopters Inc., Garland, Texas, was substantially damaged following a rollover while hovering within a practice area at the Mesquite Airport, Mesquite, Texas. The certified flight instructor (CFI) received minor injuries, and his student pilot received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The flight originated from the Garland Municipal Airport, Garland, Texas, at 1030.
Following about 30 minutes of uneventful basic flight instruction, the CFI and student pilot proceeded to Mesquite Airport to accomplish hover practice. After landing on the taxiway for runway 17, and giving a brief about hovering, the CFI moved the helicopter to a grass covered practice area adjacent to the taxiway. The student then practiced hovering for about 3-4 minutes, with guidelines that the CFI would stabilize the helicopter and then transfer control to the student pilot. The CFI then landed the helicopter to give the student a short rest. Shortly after liftoff to a 10-foot hover, the CFI transferred control to the student. The student then "jerked" back on the cyclic and the tail rotor struck the ground before the CFI could regain control. As the helicopter "spun" to the right, the CFI attempted to reduce the throttle and lower the collective. The helicopter came to rest on its left side and both occupants evacuated.
The helicopter sustained structural damage to the tail boom, cabin, and main rotor system.
The student pilot had 2 hours of total flight time at the time of the accident. It was the student's second instructional flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7158M
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22B2
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2783
- Airframe hours
- 298
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-J2A, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Sky Helicopters Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 16, 2000 · 14 hours before
- Departed
- T57 · Garland, TX
- Destination
- HQZ
- Airport
- HQZ · Mesquite Metro
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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 53
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 6,491 total · 3,321 in this make and model · 233 in the last 90 days · 82 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 36 °F
- Observed at
- DAL, 20 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.