# NTSB NYC03LA147: Robinson R-22, N7001Z, West Liberty, OH, July 2, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 2, 2003, 15:45 local (19:45 UTC) - Place: West Liberty, OH - Coordinates: 40.263332, -83.773887 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.2633&lon=-83.7739&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 28, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FSDO-07 - NTSB case key (mKey): 57379 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC03LA147 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57379/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC03LA147 ## Probable cause The student pilots failure to maintain directional control while hovering, and the CFI's delayed remedial action. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, hover - in ground effect - directional control - not maintained, dual student (cause) - remedial action - delayed, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis While conducting hovering maneuvers, the certified flight instructor (CFI) instructed the student pilot to bring the helicopter to a 3-foot hover and perform a 180 degree turn. As the student began to turn the helicopter, the left skid came in contact with the ground and the helicopter began to roll. The student pilot over corrected for the sudden change in attitude, and the main rotor blades struck the ground. The helicopter came to rest on its left side. ## Factual narrative On July 2, 2003, at 1545 eastern daylight time, a Robinson R-22, N7001Z, was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground while conducting a hovering takeoff at a private helipad in West Liberty, Ohio. The certificated flight instructor (CFI) 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. The CFI stated that he and his student were practicing hover maneuvers at a private helipad. The CFI instructed the student pilot to bring the helicopter to a 3-foot hover and perform a 180 degree turn. As the student pilot turned the helicopter, the left skid came in contact with the ground and the helicopter began to roll. The student pilot over corrected for the sudden change in attitude, and the main rotor blades struck the ground. The rotor blades abruptly stopped and the helicopter came to rest on its left side. The CFI and student pilot added that they did not experience any mechanical malfunctions with the airframe or engine prior to the accident. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed damage to the main rotor blades, the tail rotor blades, and the fuselage. The CFI reported 5,375 hours of total flight experience in rotorcraft, which include 4,300 hours in the same make and model as the accident helicopter. The student pilot reported 4 hours of total flight experience in the same make and model of the accident helicopter. A weather observation taken at the Dayton International Airport, located about 30 miles southwest of the private helipad, about the time of the accident, recorded the winds from 100 degrees at 7 knots, sky conditions clear, visibility 9 statute miles, temperature 78 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point temperature 68 degrees Fahrenheit, altimeter setting of 30.08 inches of Hg, and a density altitude of 993 feet msl. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7001Z](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7001Z-2003-11-10), registration cancelled 2003-11-10, S/N 2804, built 1998 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Robinson R-22 - Registry model: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta) (registry code 7640110) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 2804 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-J2A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Ohio Helicopters Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 19, 2003, 62 hours before - Departed: NONE, West Liberty, OH - Destination: NONE - Airport: NONE, None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 69; injuries: serious; airline transport, flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review March 10, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 14,464 total, 4,300 in this make and model, 14,002 as pilot in command, 161 in the last 90 days, 32 in the last 30 days - Student pilot; injuries: none; student; seat: right ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 100° at 7 knots - Visibility: 9 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 68 °F - Altimeter: 30.07 inHg - Observed at: DAY, 52 nm away ## 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 20030702019969A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030702019969A), Jul 2, 2003: Robsin R22BETA, West Liberty, OH, Substantial damage. (-23) The pilot made the following statement: the accident occurred during an instructional flight on private property. After initial startup, all operational… 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.