- Date
- May 7, 1995, 11:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Miami, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2321XRobinson R22 Beta
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 31, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950507009729A
- Case key
- 37765
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
Inadequate supervision by the CFI for allowing the student to initiate initial flare and power recovery at 100 feet instead of 40 feet and 40 feet instead of 8-10 feet respectively. Additionally, failure of the CFI to comply with the FAA approved flight manuals.
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 lesson was to prepare the student for a scheduled check ride. While performing practice autorotative landings with power recovery, the CFI allowed the student to initiate the flare at 100 feet instead of 40 feet as indicated in the FAA approved pilot's operating handbook (POH). Also, the CFI allowed the student to initiate the power recovery at 40 feet instead of 8-10 feet as also indicated in the POH. The helicopter landed hard and the main rotor blades severed a section of the tailboom. The CFI stated that there was no airframe preimpact failure or malfunction.
Factual narrative
On May 7, 1995, about 1130 eastern daylight time, a Robinson R22 Beta helicopter, registered to Metro Helicopter, Inc., operated by Ace Helicopter Corp., landed hard at the Kendall- Tamiami Executive Airport, Miami, Florida, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter was substantially damaged and the certified flight instructor (CFI) and student were not injured. The flight originated about 1040 from the Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport, Miami, Florida.
The CFI stated that the student pilot was performing a practice autorotation with power recovery. The entry altitude and airspeed were 600 feet and 75 knots. The glide airspeed stabilized at 65 knots and at 100 feet, the rotor rpm was in the green range, the airspeed was 60 knots, and the rate of descent was 1,500 feet per minute (fpm). At 100 feet the student initiated the flare and at 40 feet, forward cyclic and power were applied. The main rotor rpm then began to decay and the helicopter impacted the ground hard. A section of the tailboom was then severed by the main rotor blades. The CFI stated that there was no engine or airframe preimpact failure or malfunction.
According to the airframe manufacturer pilot's operating handbook normal procedures section and the flight training guide, the stated altitude to initiate the flare is about 40 feet above ground level (agl). At about 8-10 feet agl, apply forward cyclic to level the helicopter and raise collective to stop the descent.
Additionally, power as required to keep the rpm in the green arc.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2321X
- Reported as
- Robinson R22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1976
- Airframe hours
- 1,107
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 131 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Ace Helicopter Corp.
- Registered owner
- Metro Helicopter, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 24, 1995 · 100 hours before
- Departed
- TMB
- Airport
- TMB · Kendall-Tamiami Executive
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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 52
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,679 total · 569 in this make and model · 3,120 as pilot in command · 80 in the last 90 days · 43 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TMB
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 N2321X · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.