- Date
- June 15, 2019, 13:20 local (18:20 UTC)
- Place
- San Antonio, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N511HERobinson R22
- Defining event
- Landing: Dynamic rollover
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 6, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190615017709A
- Case key
- 99644
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 pilot receiving instruction's improper cyclic control input during landing, which resulted in a dynamic rollover, and the flight instructor's improper decision to practice landings in tall grass in gusting wind conditions.
Findings · 8
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 in the helicopter reported that, while the pilot receiving instruction was practicing "slope landings" in the tall grass adjacent to an asphalt runway, he was shadowing the flight controls. He added that the pilot moved the cyclic left. The instructor was unable to correct, and the helicopter experienced a dynamic rollover and impacted terrain. As a recommendation, the instructor reported that the accident could have been prevented by not practicing slope landings in tall grass. He added that the helicopter contacted the terrain sooner than expected due to the tall grass. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and firewall. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation station located about 12 miles south of the accident site reported that, about 29 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 170° at 15 knots, gusting to 21 knots. The same automated station reported that, about 9 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 180° at 9 knots. The pilot was landing to the south.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor in the helicopter reported that, while the pilot receiving instruction was practicing "slope landings" in the tall grass adjacent to an asphalt runway, he was shadowing the flight controls. He added that the pilot moved the cyclic to the left. The instructor was unable to correct, and the helicopter experienced dynamic rollover and impacted terrain. As a recommendation, the flight instructor reported that the accident could have been prevented by not practicing slope landings in tall grass. He added that the helicopter contacted the terrain sooner than expected due to the tall grass. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and firewall. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation station, located about 12 miles south of the accident, reported that, about 29 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 170° at 15 knots, gusting 21 knots. The same automated station reported that, about 9 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 180° at 9 knots. The pilot was landing to the south.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N511HE
- Reported as
- Robinson R22 (BETA)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3738
- Built
- 2004
- Airframe hours
- 5,860.3
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-J2A, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Helicopter Experts Inc
- Registered owner
- Heliflight Leasing Llc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 9, 2018
- Departed
- 1T8 · San Antonio, TX
- Destination
- 1T8 · San Antonio, TX
- Airport
- 1T8 · Bulverde Airpark, runway 16, 2,890 × 40 ft, asphalt
- 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
- 58
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 11, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 14,500 total · 11,000 in this make and model · 14,400 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 35 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 30, 2015
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 250 total · 100 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- KSAT, 12 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 22, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.8 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.