- Date
- July 3, 2007, 07:33 local (14:33 UTC)
- Place
- Long Beach, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N457SHRobinson R 22 Beta
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 31, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20070703011239A
- Case key
- 66114
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 student pilot's improper use of the throttle and cyclic, and the certified flight instructor's inadequate supervision, which resulted in the collision with terrain.
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 certified flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot were practicing hover autorotations. The CFI noted that the student had expressed difficulty with sufficient pedal inputs in the past, and the helicopter would yaw excessively to the left. The CFI demonstrated the maneuver to the student, showing him to establish the helicopter in a 2-foot hover, look outside and pick a reference point to maintain heading, position his hand on the throttle to roll it off, and as throttle is rolled off, prepare to apply right pedal to counteract the left yaw. The student pilot then assumed the controls and configured the helicopter for the hovering autorotation. The CFI had his left hand on the collective, his right hand on the cyclic, and his feet were guarding the pedals. The student counted down, "three, two, one…" and rolled the throttle on while adding right pedal. The helicopter yawed hard and fast to the right and the student pulled aft cyclic. The CFI attempted to regain control of the helicopter; however, the tail cone contacted the ground and the helicopter came to rest on its left side. The CFI stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter, prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
The certified flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot were practicing hover autorotations. The CFI noted that the student had expressed difficulty with sufficient pedal inputs in the past, and the helicopter would yaw excessively to the left. The CFI demonstrated the maneuver to the student, showing him to establish the helicopter in a 2-foot hover, look outside and pick a reference point to maintain heading, position his hand on the throttle to roll it off, and as throttle is rolled off, prepare to apply right pedal to counteract the left yaw. The student pilot then assumed the controls and configured the helicopter for the hovering autorotation. The CFI had his left hand on the collective, his right hand on the cyclic, and his feet were guarding the pedals. The student counted down, "three, two, one…" and rolled the throttle on while adding right pedal. The helicopter yawed hard and fast to the right and the student pulled aft cyclic. The CFI attempted to regain control of the helicopter; however, the tail cone contacted the ground and the helicopter came to rest on its left side. The CFI stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter, prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N457SH
- Reported as
- Robinson R 22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 4029
- Engine
- Textron Lycoming O-360, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Silver State Helicopters LLC
- Registered owner
- Silver State Helicopters LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- LGB · Long Beach, CA
- Destination
- LGB · Long Beach, CA
- Airport
- LGB · Long Beach Airport
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
- 32
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1
- Flight hours
- 1,118 total · 1,099 in this make and model · 293 in the last 90 days · 110 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 53
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 60 total · 60 in this make and model · 13 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- LGB
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.