- Date
- August 29, 2017, 13:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Sacramento, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N622MPRobinson Helicopter R22
- Defining event
- Taxi: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 27, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170829011719A
- Case key
- 95922
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 failure to maintain yaw control and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.
Findings · 3
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 helicopter flight instructor reported that the student was practicing quick-stops on the taxiway. The student was hovering with a tailwind and began to accelerate when the helicopter started a "fast yaw to the right." He added that they stopped the acceleration, checked the engine gauges, and then accelerated again. As the helicopter was going through effective translational lift, it spun to the right. The flight instructor took the flight controls, noticed the rpm was high, and reduced the throttle. The helicopter impacted the ground backward and slid before coming to rest. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 37 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 190° at 7 knots. The helicopter was taxiing to the north.
Factual narrative
The helicopter flight instructor reported that the student was practicing quick-stops on the taxiway. The student was hovering with a tailwind and began to accelerate when the helicopter started a "fast yaw to the right". He added that they stopped the acceleration, checked the engine gauges, and then accelerated again. As the helicopter was going through effective translational lift (ETL), it spun to the right. The flight instructor took the flight controls, noticed the rpm was high, and reduced the throttle. The helicopter impacted the ground backwards and slid before coming to rest. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 37 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 190° at 7 knots. The helicopter was taxiing to the north.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N622MP
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R22 (BETA)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 4016
- Built
- 2006
- Airframe hours
- 273.6
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-J2A, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Capitol Helicopters
- Registered owner
- Spitzer Helicopter LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 15, 2017
- Departed
- SAC · Sacramento, CA
- Destination
- SAC · Sacramento, CA
- Airport
- SAC · Sacramento Executive
- Equipment
- None
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
- 29
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 17, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 660 total · 489 in this make and model · 627 as pilot in command · 92 in the last 90 days · 33 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 32
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 18 total · 18 in this make and model · 18 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.81 inHg
- Observed at
- KSAC
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 31, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 956 KB 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.
Other investigations on N622MP · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.