- Date
- July 30, 1993, 12:29 local (19:29 UTC)
- Place
- Verdi, NV
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N549SMRobinson R-22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 15, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930730056849A
- Case key
- 27988
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 instructor's improper supervision of the flight; the dual student's improper in-flight decision to follow another helicopter on departure and the dual students delay in correcting the inadvertent yaw. Factors related to this accident was the inadvertent encounter with the wake turbulence from the preceding departing helicopter; the dual student's improper use of the throttle and the dual students failure to maintain adequate rotor RPM.
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
The helicopter was one of a flight of four helicopters conducting a mountain flying course which consisted of executing pinnacle landings and takeoffs. The CFI allowed the dual student to follow another helicopter on its departure from the pinnacle. The helicopter encountered the preceding helicopter's rotor wash and immediately turned right. The student applied left pedal corrective action, but the main rotor rpm's began to decay. The CFI assumed the controls and immediately lowered the collective and applied full throttle, but the rear skids struck the ground. The CFI was able to regain a level attitude, but the helicopter struck some rocks and crashed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N549SM
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1549
- Airframe hours
- 1,795
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Helicopter Adventures, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Charles L. Marlow
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 30, 1993 · 85 hours before
- Departed
- RNO · Reno, NV
- Destination
- TRK · Truckee, CA
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 24
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 340 total · 340 in this make and model · 304 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 34 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.