# NTSB NYC03CA207: Robinson R-22A, N56MU, Bedford, MA, September 28, 2003

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: September 28, 2003, 12:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place: Bedford, MA
- Coordinates: 42.469722, -71.288887
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.4697&lon=-71.2889&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report November 25, 2003
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 58012
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC03CA207
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58012/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC03CA207

## Probable cause

The certified flight instructor's failure to maintain ground clearance and his delayed remedial action, which resulted in a rollover.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight collision with terrain/water, hover
  - remedial action - delayed, pilot in command(cfi) (cause)

## Analysis

The certified flight instructor (CFI) was providing flight instruction to the student pilot, who had accumulated about 3 hours of helicopter flight experience.  According to the CFI, the student pilot was practicing hovering, when the helicopter descended "too low."  The helicopter momentarily contacted the ground while drifting to the right, and rolled over.  The CFI further stated he did not experience any mechanical malfunctions.

## Factual narrative

On September 28, 2003, about 1200 eastern daylight time, a Robinson R-22A, N56MU, was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground while hovering at Laurence G. Hanscom Field, Bedford, Massachusetts.  The certificated flight instructor (CFI) and a student pilot were not injured.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

The student pilot had accumulated about 3 hours of helicopter flight experience.  According to the CFI, the student pilot was practicing hovering, when the helicopter descended "too low."  The helicopter momentarily contacted the ground while drifting to the right, and rolled over.

The CFI stated he did not experience any mechanical malfunctions.  He reported 1,059 hours of total flight experience, which included 641 hours in helicopters, and 471 hours in make and model.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N56MU](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N56MU-2017-05-23), registration cancelled 2017-05-23, S/N 0458, built 1984 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Robinson R-22A
- Registry model: [Robinson Helicopter R22 ALPHA](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-alpha) (registry code 7640104) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 0458
- Airframe hours: 5139
- Engines: Lycoming O-320-B2C 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: East Coast Aero Club, doing business as 200 Hanscom Drive
- Registered owner: Firefly Leasing Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, September 25, 2003, 1 hours before
- Departed: BED, Bedford, MA
- Destination: BED
- Airport: BED, Laurence G Hanscom Fld, runway unk

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Flight instructor; age 51; injuries: none; flight instructor; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review October 27, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 1,059 total, 471 in this make and model, 800 as pilot in command, 81 in the last 90 days, 34 in the last 30 days
- Student pilot; age 35; injuries: none; seat: right; flight hours: 3 total, 3 in this make and model, 3 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 80° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 1,300 ft broken
- Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter: 29.75 inHg
- Observed at: BED

## 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 20030928024339A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030928024339A), Sep 28, 2003: Robsin R22ALPHA, Bedford, MA, Substantial damage. (-23) N56MU, R-22-alpha, while doing hover work over whiskey taxiway caught its skid in the high grass/dirt that resulted in a dynamic rollover at Bedford…

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.