# NTSB GAA18CA229: Robinson Helicopter R22, N72QC, Farmingdale, NY, March 23, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: March 23, 2018, 08:30 local (12:30 UTC) - Place: Farmingdale, NY - Coordinates: 40.729442, -73.414169 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7294&lon=-73.4142&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-hover: Abrupt maneuver](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/270) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 27, 2018 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 97101 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA18CA229 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/97101/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97101 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA229 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s rapid lowering of the collective, which resulted in a hard landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/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: [All aircraft, 242 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot; cases with it: [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-hover: Abrupt maneuver](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/270) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 346 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/270/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering-hover: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight instructor reported that, during the landing from a hover, he and the student pilot were both on the controls, with the student manipulating the controls. He added that, when the helicopter was about 8" above the ground, the student lowered the collective rapidly. Subsequently, the helicopter landed hard, the student immediately raised the collective to re-establish a hover, and the instructor took the flight controls and landed without further incident. A postaccident examination revealed the helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail boom. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative The flight instructor reported that, during the landing from a hover, he and the student pilot were both on the controls, with the student manipulating the controls. He added that, when the helicopter was about 8" above the ground, the student lowered the collective rapidly. Subsequently, the helicopter landed hard, the student immediately raised the collective to re-establish a hover, and the instructor took the flight controls and landed without further incident. A post-accident examination revealed the helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail boom. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: N72QC (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22 - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 2033 - Year built: 1991 - Airframe hours: 4151 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320 SERIES 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Flying Helicopters Made Easy - Registered owner: ArtNet Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, February 1, 2018 - Departed: FRG, Farmingdale, NY - Destination: FRG, Farmingdale, NY - Airport: FRG, Republic - Equipment: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 25; injuries: none; foreign, commercial, flight instructor; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review November 21, 2017; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 320 total, 118 in this make and model, 260 as pilot in command, 55 in the last 90 days, 24 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 28; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 39.7 total, 39.7 in this make and model, 11.6 in the last 90 days, 6.1 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 330° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 34 °F, dew point 21 °F - Altimeter: 30.01 inHg - Observed at: KFRG ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Incident 20180323000259I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180323000259I), Mar 23, 2018: Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, Farmingdale, NY, Minor damage. March 26, 2018 this office received a report of a hard landing for N72QC a Robinson Helicopter R22 beta. The incident occurred on 3/23/18 and was reported by… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 21, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97101. 1.0 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 786 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40464285&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Accident Picture (Courtesy of FAA) (item 2, .PDF, 1 photo, 228 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40464286&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Picture%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-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.