# NTSB NYC02LA086: Robinson R-22, N8414H, Islip, NY, April 20, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 20, 2002, 14:44 local (18:44 UTC) - Place: Islip, NY - Coordinates: 40.796112, -73.096389 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7961&lon=-73.0964&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 24, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 54559 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC02LA086 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54559/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54559 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC02LA086 ## Probable cause The flight instructors failure to maintain aircraft control during a wind gust. A factor in the accident was a sudden gust of wind. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with terrain/water, hover - in ground effect - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) - terrain condition - grass ## Analysis While hovering into the wind at 5 to 10 feet agl, the instructor felt a gust of wind push the helicopter to the left and down. The helicopter impacted the ground, rolled onto its left side, and slid several feet before coming to a stop. The instructor was in the left seat and making approximately 70 percent of the control inputs at the time of the accident. The instructor reported he experience no preimpact failures or malfunctions with the helicopter. Examination of the helicopter also revealed no preimpact failures or malfunctions. A weather observation taken at the airport about 12 minutes after the accident recorded the weather as wind 280 degrees at 8 knots, visibility 10 miles, light rain, and thunderstorms in the vicinity of the airport. ## Factual narrative On April 20, 2002, at 1444 eastern daylight time, a Robinson R-22, N8414H, was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground while hovering at the Long Island Mac Arthur Airport (ISP), Islip, New York. The certificated flight instructor received serious injuries, and the student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local instructional flight. No flight plan was filed, and the flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the instructor, he boarded the helicopter, along with the student, started the engine, and departed the airport area to conduct some level flight training. After approximately 20 minutes, they returned to the airport, and began doing some hover training to the southeast of the approach end of runway 24. About 40 minutes later, while hovering into the wind at 5 to 10 feet agl, the instructor felt a gust of wind push the helicopter to the left and down. The helicopter impacted the ground, rolled onto its left side, and then slid several feet before coming to a stop. The instructor secured the electrical master, and pulled the mixture control to the "OFF" position, (he could not remember if the engine was running). He released his and the student's restraint harness, opened the door on the student's side, and both egressed the helicopter. About 2 minutes later airport emergency vehicles arrived. It was determined the instructor had injured his shoulder and would require medical attention. He was taken to a local hospital, and diagnosed with a broken clavicle. The instructor added that when the accident happened, he was in the left seat, and making about 70 percent of the control inputs, and the student was making about 30 percent. The wind was approximately 220 degrees and 8 to 10 knots. Other than during the accident sequence, the instructor identified no change in the wind, either before or after the accident, nor did he recall any airplanes taking off or landing on runway 24 or 15. He also stated that he did not experience any preimpact failures or malfunctions with the helicopter. In addition, the student had approximately 5 hours of flight experience in helicopters. According to the student, they had just turned the helicopter into the wind, and were hovering approximately 15 feet agl, when he felt a gust of wind from the right. The helicopter started to settle and drift left. The next thing the student knew, the helicopter was on its left side, and the accident sequence was over. The student also did not remember any airplanes taking off or landing on runway 24 or 15 at the time of the accident. A weather observation taken at the airport about 12 minutes after the accident recorded the weather as wind 280 degrees at 8 knots, visibility 10 miles, thunderstorms in the vicinity with light rain, temperature 57 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 54 degrees Fahrenheit, and an altimeter setting of 29.86 inches Hg. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8414H](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8414H-2013-06-07), registration cancelled 2013-06-07, S/N 0355, built 1983 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Robinson R-22 - Registry model: [Robinson Helicopter R22](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22) (registry code 7640102) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 0355 - Airframe hours: 8084.1 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-B2C 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Eastern Helicopters - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, April 3, 2002, 22.7 hours before - Departed: ISP, Islip, NY - Destination: ISP - Airport: ISP, Long Island Mac Arthur ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 32; injuries: serious; flight instructor, commercial; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review March 16, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 340 total, 320 in this make and model, 260 as pilot in command, 73 in the last 90 days, 57 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; injuries: none; seat: right; flight hours: 5 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 280° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 5,500 ft overcast - Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 29.86 inHg - Observed at: ISP ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20020420018289A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020420018289A), Apr 20, 2002: Robsin R22, Islip, NY, Substantial damage. (-23) N8414H was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground while hovering at isp airport. The aircraft had sustained major damage to the main rotor… ## Other investigations on N8414H (2) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB IAD97LA037](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD97LA037), Dec 22, 1996: Robinson R22 HP (N8414H), Islip, NY, substantial damage. Probable cause: The students pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter and the instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight. - [NTSB ATL84FA045](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL84FA045), Nov 5, 1983: Robinson R22 (N8414H), Gaithersburg, MD, substantial damage ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 12, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54559. 620 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 433 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40432511&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Memorandums for Record (item 2, .PDF, 136 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40157623&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandums%20for%20Record-Master.PDF - Witness Statement (item 3, .PDF, 51 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40432512&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement-Redacted.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.