- Date
- April 21, 2007, 11:15 local (17:15 UTC)
- Place
- Spanish Fork, UT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N222MQRobinson R22 Beta
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 27, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20070421004279A
- Case key
- 65635
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 flight controls, which induced a dynamic rollover. Also causal was the certificated flight instructor's inadequate supervision and delayed remedial action.
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 hover autorotation, the helicopter touched down hard, bounced, and experienced a dynamic rollover. The student performed three hovering autorotations without incident. The student properly entered the fourth autorotation, which was to be the last of the flight. The student then made several cyclic input changes and the helicopter touched down on the left skid, resulting in the helicopter bouncing back airborne. The student reacted by inputting left pedal followed with abrupt right forward cyclic movement. The helicopter drifted right and began to pivot around the front portion of the right skid. The CFI assumed authority of the flight controls in attempt to regain directional control; however, the helicopter continued rolling over on its right side. The CFI reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter prior to impact.
Factual narrative
During a practice hover autorotation, the helicopter touched down hard. It subsequently experienced a dynamic rollover, coming to rest on its right side. The certificated flight instructor (CFI) reported that the purpose of the flight was to conduct training for the student pilot (positioned in right seat). The student performed three hovering autorotations without incident. On the fourth autorotation, which was to be the last of the flight, the student entered the maneuver properly. The student then made several cyclic input changes and the helicopter touched down on the left skid, resulting in the helicopter bouncing back airborne. The student reacted by inputting left pedal followed with abrupt right forward cyclic movement. The helicopter drifted right and began to pivot around the front portion of the right skid. The CFI assumed authority of the flight controls in attempt to regain directional control. The helicopter rolled over on its right side.
The CFI reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter prior to impact. The CFI stated that his total flight experience totaled 507.6 hours, of which 279.2 were accumulated while acting in the capacity of a flight instructor.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N222MQ
- Reported as
- Robinson R22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3362
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360 Series, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Utah Helicopter
- Registered owner
- Matt Spitzer/Spitzer Heliopter Leasing Company
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- U77 · Spanish Fork, UT
- Destination
- U77 · Spanish Fork, UT
- Airport
- U77 · Spanish Fork-Springville
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 29
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 508 total · 508 in this make and model · 122 in the last 90 days · 46 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.80 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.