# NTSB GAA15CA238: Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta, N86EH, Ronkonkoma, NY, August 19, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 19, 2015, 19:15 local (23:15 UTC) - Place: Ronkonkoma, NY - Coordinates: 40.791667, -73.103332 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7917&lon=-73.1033&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: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 8, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 91869 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA15CA238 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/91869/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91869 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA15CA238 ## Probable cause The student pilot's loss of control during a hover, which resulted in ground contact and a dynamic rollover. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's lack of action to remediate the student pilot's control inputs and recover aircraft control. ## 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) - [Performance/control parameters: lateral/bank control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023/cases.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 390 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023/cases.md) - [Action: lack of action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check 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) - [Experience/qualifications: total experience](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031015): Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge · Student/instructed pilot; cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031015/cases.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 126 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031015/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: Dynamic rollover](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/231); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 35 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/231/sequence.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 161 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/231/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 flight instructor reported that he had given instructions to the student pilot to hover over a grass area on the airport property. The flight instructor stated the helicopter was "hovering 18 inches to 30 inches above the ground and then was lying on its side on the ground". The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor, tail boom, and tail rotor drive shaft. In a statement to the FAA, the flight instructor said he had given the controls to the student pilot. The student pilot started to over control the helicopter and it went into a pendulum motion. The helicopter came close to the ground and the right skid made contact with the ground, causing a dynamic rollover. The flight instructor reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative The flight instructor reported that he had given instructions to the student pilot to hover over a grass area on the airport property. The flight instructor stated the helicopter was "hovering 18 inches to 30 inches above the ground and then was lying on its side on the ground". The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor, tail boom, and tail rotor drive shaft. In a statement to the FAA, the flight instructor said he had given the controls to the student pilot. The student pilot started to over control the helicopter and it went into a pendulum motion. The helicopter came close to the ground and the right skid made contact with the ground, causing a dynamic rollover. The flight instructor reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N86EH](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N86EH), registered now, S/N 0585 (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) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 0585 - Year built: 1986 - Airframe hours: 9928 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Helicopter Flight Inc., doing business as Helicopter Flight Inc. - Registered owner: Atlantic Coast Helicopters Ltd - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, August 17, 2015 - Departed: ISP, Ronkonkoma, NY - Destination: ISP, Ronkonkoma, NY - Airport: ISP, Long Island Mac Arthur ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 42; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial, private; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 22, 2015; seat: left; flight hours: 347 total, 334 in this make and model, 236 as pilot in command, 60 in the last 90 days, 50 in the last 30 days - Student pilot; age 39; injuries: minor; seat: right; flight hours: 1 total, 1 in this make and model, 1 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 29.98 inHg - Observed at: KISP ## 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 20150819023599A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150819023599A), Aug 19, 2015: Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, Ronkonkoma, NY, Substantial damage. N86EH while conducting primary hovering instruction on field at li macarthur airport, kisp. During instruction with student the helicopter started to go into a… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 7, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91869. 906 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 606 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40432425&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Memorandum for Record – Telephone Interview, Pilot (item 2, .PDF, 28 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40432426&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20%E2%80%93%20Telephone%20Interview,%20Pilot-Master.PDF - Momorandum for Record - Flight Instroctor's statement to FAA (item 3, .PDF, 27 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40432427&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Momorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20Flight%20Instroctor%27s%20statement%20to%20FAA-Master.PDF - Photo (item 4, .PDF, 1 photo, 246 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40432428&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo-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.