- Date
- November 4, 2019, 11:19 local (16:19 UTC)
- Place
- Smoketown, PA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8560ARobinson R22
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-hover: Dynamic rollover
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed · report May 21, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20191104018819A
- Case key
- 100536
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 improper cyclic input while hovering and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action, which resulted in a dynamic rollover.
Findings · 4
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 reported that he lifted off in the helicopter and ascended to between about 3 and 4 ft above the grassy field north of the runway to show the student pilot how to hover, and while having positive control of the collective and antitorque pedal, he gave the cyclic control to the student. While the instructor was "guarding" the cyclic, the student applied right cyclic. Subsequently, the helicopter descended, and the right skid contacted the ground. The instructor applied left cyclic, but the helicopter dynamically rolled over. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor system and horizontal stabilizer. The 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 he was providing a discovery flight to a potential student. He completed a cruise flight and landed the helicopter to show the student how to hover. He lifted the helicopter to 3 to 4 ft above the grassy field north of the runway, and while having positive controls of the collective and anti-torque pedal, he gave the cyclic control to the student. While the instructor was "guarding" the cyclic, the student applied right cyclic and the helicopter descended, and the right skid contacted the ground. The instructor applied left cyclic, but the helicopter dynamically rolled over and impacted terrain. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor system and horizontal stabilizer. The flight instructor reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8560A
- Reported as
- Robinson R22 (ALPHA)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0474
- Built
- 1985
- Airframe hours
- 10,410.1
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-B2A, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Smoketown Helicopters LLC
- Registered owner
- Smoketown Helicopters LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 6, 2019
- Departed
- S37 · Smoketown, PA
- Destination
- S37 · Smoketown, PA
- Airport
- S37 · Smoketown
- Equipment
- ADS-B
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
- Pilot
- Age
- 30
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 44
- Injuries
- None
- Medical
- Unknown
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Wind
- 160° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.32 inHg
- Observed at
- KLNS, 6 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 28, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.5 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.