- Date
- January 11, 2007, 17:45 local (22:45 UTC)
- Place
- Lakeland, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8050ZRobinson R22 Beta
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report May 29, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20070111001309A
- Case key
- 65222
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 flight instructor's selection of an unsuitable landing site, which resulted in an inadvertent dynamic rollover during landing. A factor associated with the accident was the inadvertent dynamic rollover.
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 certificated flight instructor (CFI) stated that upon returning from the local training flight, he wanted to demonstrate a slope landing. He maneuvered the helicopter facing into the wind to begin the maneuver, and touched down on the upslope with the left skid. While lowering the right skid, he felt the slope was too steep and stopped lowering the right skid. While pulling collective to recover, the rear portion of the left skid became caught in the grass, and the helicopter rolled over to the left. He further reported that there was no mechanical failure or malfunction to the helicopter or any of its systems. The student pilot stated that "We were attempting a slope landing, facing east, the left skid was in contact [with] the ground & the right was level in a hover position. The craft pulled hard to the left & landed on the left side. We exited the craft through the right door."
Factual narrative
On January 11, 2007, about 1745 eastern standard time, a Robinson R22 Beta, N8050Z, registered to a private individual, operated by Elite Flying & Management Services, Inc., rolled over during a training flight from Lakeland Linder Regional Airport (KLAL), Lakeland, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight. The helicopter was substantially damaged and the certified flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot were not injured. The flight originated about 1530, from KLAL.
The CFI stated that upon returning from the local training flight, he wanted to demonstrate a slope landing. He maneuvered the helicopter facing into the wind to begin the maneuver, and touched down on the upslope with the left skid. While lowering the right skid, he felt the slope was too steep and stopped lowering the right skid. While pulling collective to recover, the rear portion of the left skid became caught in the grass causing the helicopter to roll over to the left. He further reported that there was no mechanical failure or malfunction to the helicopter or any of its systems.
The student pilot stated that "We were attempting a slope landing, facing east, the left skid was in contact [with] the ground & the right was level in a hover position. The craft pulled hard to the left & landed on the left side. We exited the craft through the right door."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8050Z
- Reported as
- Robinson R22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1117
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Elite Flying & Management Services, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Matthew L. Spitzer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- KLAL · Lakeland, FL
- Destination
- KLAL · Lakeland, FL
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- KLAL · Lakeland Linder Regional
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
- 42
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 1, 2006
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,600 total · 850 in this make and model
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 47
- Injuries
- None
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 62 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 90° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.35 inHg
- Observed at
- KLAL
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.