- Date
- January 16, 2005, 13:40 local (21:40 UTC)
- Place
- Rialto, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1122RRobinson R22B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 28, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20050116008999A
- Case key
- 60873
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 use of the cyclic control during a practice autorotation, and the inadequate supervision by the certified flight instructor.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During a practice full-touchdown autorotation, the main rotor blades struck and severed the tail boom. The certified flight instructor (CFI) said that the purpose of the flight was to prepare the commercial pilot (student) for his CFI check ride and they were performing full touchdown autorotations. The helicopter was aligned with the centerline of the south taxiway. At 60 feet agl, the student flared the helicopter and then leveled it for a full touchdown autorotation. When the helicopter was 1 foot agl, the student pushed the cyclic forward and the forward tips of the skids touched the ground. The helicopter rotated aft, and the CFI assumed the controls and leveled the helicopter. Upon touchdown, the main rotor blades contacted the tail boom. The CFI noted no mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter.
Factual narrative
On January 16, 2005, at 1340 Pacific standard time, a Robinson R22B, N1122R, experienced main rotor contact with the tailboom during a practice full-touchdown autorotation at the Rialto Municipal Airport, Rialto, California. Universal Air Academy was operating the helicopter, registered to a private company, under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The certified flight instructor (CFI) and the commercial pilot-undergoing-instruction (PUI) were not injured; the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The CFI and PUI departed from the El Monte Airport, El Monte, California, about 1300 for the local area instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
The CFI submitted National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Form 6120.1/2, the Pilot/Operator Report. He said that the purpose of the flight was to prepare the PUI for his CFI checkride, and they were performing full touchdown autorotations. The helicopter was aligned with the centerline of the south taxiway. Approximately 200 feet above ground level (agl), the CFI noted the following performance indications: main rotor rpm "in the green," airspeed 6 knots; and descent rate 1,300 feet per minute. At 60 feet agl, the PUI flared the helicopter and then leveled it for a full touchdown autorotation. When the helicopter was 1 foot agl, the PUI pushed the cyclic forward and the forward tips of the skids touched the ground. The helicopter then rotated aft, and the CFI assumed the controls and leveled the helicopter. Upon touchdown, the main rotor blades contacted the tailboom. The CFI noted no mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1122R
- Reported as
- Robinson R22B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3197
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Universal Air Academy
- Registered owner
- Business Financial Services
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- EMT · El Monte, CA
- Destination
- L67 · Rialto, CA
- Airport
- L67 · Rialto Muni Airport
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
- 46
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 10,000 total · 7,000 in this make and model · 200 in the last 90 days · 80 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 30
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 218 total · 17 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.