- Date
- May 31, 2008, 08:10 local (14:10 UTC)
- Place
- Salt Lake City, UT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Emergency descent
- Aircraft
- N268SHRobinson R22
- Defining event
- Autorotation: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20080531835529A
- Case key
- 68140
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's improper use of the anti torque pedals during a practice hover autorotation, which resulted in the helicopter rolling over. Additional causes of the accident were the certificated flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the maneuver and delayed remedial action.
Findings · 3
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 student pilot made several approaches and a practice hover autorotation before repositioning the helicopter to a different area of the airport. They planned to perform more hover autorotations and the certified flight instructor (CFI) continued to guard the flight controls. The CFI initiated the hover auto without communication, which was a deviation from their normal procedures. In response to the movement the student depressed the left [improper] anti-torque pedal and the helicopter began to spin. The CFI could not regain control and the helicopter rolled. The CFI reported no pre impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter
Factual narrative
In a written statement, the certificated flight instructor (CFI) reported that the purpose of the flight was to provide the student pilot training. The student pilot made several approaches and a practice hover autorotation before repositioning the helicopter to a different area of the airport. They planned to perform more hover autorotations and the CFI continued to guard the flight controls. The CFI deviated from the normal procedure they had practiced of communicating and counting down before rolling the throttle to the closed position. The CFI initiated the hover auto without communication. In response to the movement the student depressed the left [improper] anti-torque pedal and the helicopter began to spin. The CFI could not regain control and the helicopter rolled. The CFI further stated that the accident could have been prevented if he had briefed the student more thoroughly on the maneuver and if he had assumed authority of the controls earlier in the maneuver. The CFI reported no pre impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter
Aircraft
- Registration
- N268SH
- Reported as
- Robinson R22
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 4233
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-J2A, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Upper Limit Aviation
- Registered owner
- Tumbleweed Leasing Co., Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- SLC · Salt Lake City, UT
- Destination
- U42 · Salt Lake City, UT
- Airport
- U42 · Salt Lake City Municipal 2 Air
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
- 32
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 370 total · 370 in this make and model · 135 in the last 90 days · 58 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 27
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 28 total · 28 in this make and model · 28 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 61 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N268SH · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.