# NTSB GAA17CA112: Robinson Helicopter R22, N8042B, Champaign, IL, January 18, 2017 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: January 18, 2017, 13:35 local (19:35 UTC) - Place: Champaign, IL - Coordinates: 40.034168, -88.273056 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.0342&lon=-88.2731&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 4, 2017 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 94614 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA17CA112 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/94614/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94614 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA112 ## Probable cause The flight instructor’s failure to arrest the descent rate during the practice autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing. ## 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 · Instructor/check 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: descent rate](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037/cases.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 242 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Autorotation: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 24 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md) - [Autorotation: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 17 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 54 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot reported that, while practicing 180° autorotations about 500 ft above ground level, the flight instructor reduced the throttle, and the student pilot lowered the collective while simultaneously applying aft cyclic and right pedal. He added that the helicopter began to "dive," and the flight instructor took control of the helicopter. The flight instructor reported that he initiated a go-around by applying aft cyclic and raising the collective, but they "continued in a rapid descent." The flight instructor added that at "roughly fifty feet, [he] flared harder to attempt a next-to-final arrest." The helicopter landed hard, the skids collapsed, and the main rotor blades severed the tailboom. The helicopter slid about 300 ft down the runway toward the right; the right skid stuck into the grass, and the helicopter rotated clockwise about the right skid, tipped onto the nose, and rolled to the left. The flight instructor reported that he and the student pilot had performed about 10 to 12 practice autorotations before the accident. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. Robinson Helicopter Company published Safety Notice, SN-38, dated July 2003 and revised in October 2004, which addressed training accidents caused by practice autorotations and stated, in part: A high percentage of training accidents occur after many consecutive autorotations. To maintain instructor focus and minimize student fatigue, limit practice to no more than 3 or 4 consecutive autorotations. The Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Helicopter Flying Handbook, FAA-H-8083-21A, dated 2012, addressed tailboom strikes during autorotations and stated, in part: A power recovery can be made during training in lieu of a full touchdown landing. Refer to the section on power recovery for the correct technique. After the helicopter has come to a complete stop after touchdown, lower the collective pitch to the full-down position. Do not try to stop the forward ground run with aft cyclic, as the main rotor blades can strike the tail boom. Rather, by lowering the collective slightly during the ground run, more weight is placed on the undercarriage, slowing the helicopter. One common error is holding the helicopter off the surface versus cushioning the helicopter on to the surface during an autorotation. Holding the helicopter in the air by using all of the rotor rpm potential energy usually causes the helicopter to have a hard landing, which results in the blades flexing down and contacting the tail boom. The rotor rpm should be used to cushion the helicopter on to the surface for a controlled, smooth landing instead of allowing the helicopter to drop the last few inches. ## Factual narrative The student pilot reported that while practicing 180 degree autorotations, about 500 feet above ground level (agl), the flight instructor reduced the throttle and the student pilot lowered the collective while simultaneously applying aft cyclic and right peddle. He further reported that the helicopter began to "dive" and the flight instructor took control of the helicopter. The flight instructor reported that he initiated a go-around by applying aft cyclic and raising the collective, but they "continued in a rapid descent." The flight instructor further reported that "roughly fifty feet [he] flared harder to attempt a next-to-final arrest". The helicopter landed hard, the skids collapsed, and the main rotor blades severed the tailboom. The helicopter slid about 300 feet down the runway toward the right; the right skid stuck into the grass and the helicopter rotated clockwise about the right skid, tipped onto the nose, and rolled to the left. The flight instructor reported that he and the student pilot had performed about 10-12 practice autorotations prior to the accident. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. Robinson Helicopter Company published a safety notice, SN-38, dated July 2003, and revised in October 2004, addresses training accidents caused by practice autorotations. It states, in part: A high percentage of training accidents occur after many consecutive autorotations. To maintain instructor focus and minimize student fatigue, limit practice to no more than 3 or 4 consecutive autorotations. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published the Helicopter Flying Handbook, FAA-H-8083-21A, dated 2012, addresses tailboom strikes during autorotations. The handbook states, in part: A power recovery can be made during training in lieu of a full touchdown landing. Refer to the section on power recovery for the correct technique. After the helicopter has come to a complete stop after touchdown, lower the collective pitch to the full-down position. Do not try to stop the forward ground run with aft cyclic, as the main rotor blades can strike the tail boom. Rather, by lowering the collective slightly during the ground run, more weight is placed on the undercarriage, slowing the helicopter. One common error is holding the helicopter off the surface versus cushioning the helicopter on to the surface during an autorotation. Holding the helicopter in the air by using all of the rotor rpm potential energy usually causes the helicopter to have a hard landing, which results in the blades flexing down and contacting the tail boom. The rotor rpm should be used to cushion the helicopter on to the surface for a controlled, smooth landing instead of allowing the helicopter to drop the last few inches. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8042B](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8042B), registered now, S/N 1110, built 1989 (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) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-320-B2C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-320-b2c) (registry code 42139, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 1110 - Year built: 1989 - Airframe hours: 10338.3 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-B2C 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Summerskyz Inc - Registered owner: Summerskyz Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 26, 2016 - Departed: CMI, Champaign, IL - Destination: CMI, Champaign, IL - Airport: CMI, University Of Illinois-Willard, runway 32L, 3,817 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 36; injuries: minor; commercial, flight instructor; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review October 7, 2016; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 1,084.5 total, 587.7 in this make and model, 1,022.5 as pilot in command, 73.7 in the last 90 days, 20.4 in the last 30 days - Student pilot; age 27; injuries: none; student; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 33.3 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 230° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,400 ft broken - Temperature: 39 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 30.13 inHg - Observed at: KCMI ## 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 20170118003779A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170118003779A), Jan 18, 2017: Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, Champaign, IL, Substantial damage. On January 18, 2017 at approximately 19:35 uct or 13:35 CST, a Robinson R-22 (beta) helicopter touched down in a hard landing after executing a 180 degree… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 1, 2017, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94614. 4.0 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 3.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40449619&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Flight Instructor Statement (item 2, .PDF, 56 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40449620&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Flight%20Instructor%20Statement-Master.PDF - Flight Instructor Record of Conversation (item 3, .PDF, 75 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40449621&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Flight%20Instructor%20Record%20of%20Conversation-Master.PDF - Student Pilot Statement (item 4, .PDF, 41 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40449622&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Student%20Pilot%20Statement-Master.PDF - Accident Photo (Courtesy of Flight Instructor) (item 5, .PDF, 1 photo, 87 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40449623&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photo%20(Courtesy%20of%20Flight%20Instructor)-Master.PDF - Robinson Safety Notice (item 6, .PDF, 61 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40449624&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Robinson%20Safety%20Notice-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.