- Date
- March 30, 2009, 14:15 local (21:15 UTC)
- Place
- Chandler, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N74815Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-hover: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 22, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20090330004729A
- Case key
- 73575
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 certified flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the student pilot during a hover demonstration and his subsequent loss of helicopter control that resulted in a dynamic rollover.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The purpose of the flight was for the certified flight instructor (CFI) to demonstrate the helicopter to a prospective student who had no prior helicopter flying experience. They had just performed an hour of uneventful flight and decided to practice hover maneuvers over a turf area adjacent to the airport helipad. The CFI briefed the student on the sensitivity of the helicopter controls during a hover and then passed over the controls to the student. The student unsuccessfully attempted to perform a hover and the CFI then regained control. He elected to let the student try to hover again, and as he relinquished control, the helicopter rolled to the left. The CFI attempted to correct the deviation; however, during recovery the low rotor rpm warning horn sounded. He increased the throttle, but the skid made contact with the ground and the helicopter rolled onto its side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the rotor system and gearbox during the accident sequence.
Factual narrative
The purpose of the flight was for the certified flight instructor (CFI) to demonstrate the helicopter to a prospective student who had no prior helicopter flying experience. They had just performed an hour of uneventful flight, and decided to practice hover maneuvers over a turf area adjacent to the airport helipad. The CFI briefed the student on the sensitivity of the helicopter controls during a hover, and then passed over control. The student unsuccessfully attempted to perform a hover, and the CFI then regained control. He elected to let the student try to hover again, and as he relinquished control, the helicopter rolled to the left. The CFI attempted to correct the deviation; however, during recovery the low rotor rpm warning horn sounded. He increased the throttle, but the skid made contact with the ground and the helicopter rolled onto its side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the rotor system and gearbox during the accident sequence.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N74815
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3980
- Airframe hours
- 3,616
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-J2A, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Delta Leasing Inc., doing business as Quantum Helicopeters
- Registered owner
- Delta Leasing Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 13, 2009 · 80 hours before
- Departed
- CHD · Chandler, AZ
- Destination
- CHD · Chandler, AZ
- Airport
- CHD · Chandler Municipal, runway 01, 100 × 100 ft, grass/turf
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
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 35
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2
- Last flight review
- October 4, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 846 total · 846 in this make and model · 777 as pilot in command · 239 in the last 90 days · 63 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 15 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 14 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- IWA
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 5, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 411 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.