- Date
- August 18, 2015, 16:55 local (23:55 UTC)
- Place
- Prescott, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N5VHRobinson Helicopter R22
- Defining event
- Taxi: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 8, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA, Universal Helicopters
- FAA report
- 20150818019959A
- Case key
- 91828
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 decision to turn the helicopter downwind during a hover taxi which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and impact with terrain.
Findings · 5
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 flight instructor reported that while holding short to cross runway 21L in a skid-equipped helicopter, she was issued the clearance "cross 21L." She reported that she assumed that the clearance was for a direct route to her destination on the airport. After the helicopter began to hover taxi direct to the destination, she reported that the ground controller called her and stated "cross 21L at C4, D4 and follow company traffic." The flight instructor reported that to avoid a runway incursion, she "turned the helicopter into a tailwind and considering the high density altitude and strong winds the aircraft did not have enough power and it settled toward the ground, causing one bounce in the sod, the second bounce rolled the helicopter onto its left side." The flight instructor reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail boom.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor reported that while holding short to cross runway 21L in a skid-equipped helicopter, she was issued the clearance "cross 21L." She reported that she assumed that the clearance was for a direct route to her destination on the airport. After the helicopter began to hover taxi direct to the destination, she reported that the ground controller called her and stated "cross 21L at C4, D4 and follow company traffic." The flight instructor reported that to avoid a runway incursion, she "turned the helicopter into a tailwind and considering the high density altitude and strong winds the aircraft did not have enough power and it settled toward the ground, causing one bounce in the sod, the second bounce rolled the helicopter onto its left side." The flight instructor reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail boom.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5VH
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R22 (MARINER)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3678
- Built
- 2004
- Airframe hours
- 6,838
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360 J2A, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Universal Helicopters Inc.
- Registered owner
- Alba Aviation Services Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 13, 2015 · 6 hours before
- Departed
- PRC · Prescott, AZ
- Destination
- PRC · Prescott, AZ
- Airport
- PRC · Ernest A Love Field, runway 21L, 7,619 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 23
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 16, 2015
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,353 total · 872.5 in this make and model · 1,279 as pilot in command · 143 in the last 90 days · 76 in the last 30 days · 4.5 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 36
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 171.6 total · 96.6 in this make and model · 81.5 as pilot in command · 80.5 in the last 90 days · 21.7 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 14 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- KPRC
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 27, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 9.2 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.