# NTSB WPR09LA314: Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta, N836SH, Lewiston, ID, June 26, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 25, 2009, 18:15 local (Jun 26, 2009, 01:15 UTC) - Place: Lewiston, ID - Coordinates: 46.303333, -116.95111 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.3033&lon=-116.9511&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 30, 2009 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 74142 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR09LA314 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/74142/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74142 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA314 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power while in cruise flight for undetermined reasons. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) - [Temp/humidity/pressure: conducive to carburetor icing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Not specified; cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 435 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 18 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) ## Analysis The certified flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot were on a local instructional flight. The CFI stated that during cruise flight, the rpm dropped suddenly and he lowered the collective while rolling on the throttle. The engine did not respond and the helicopter impacted the ground. The CFI indicated that carburetor heat had been applied shortly before the power loss occurred. Post accident test run of the engine did not reveal any operational anomalies. At the time of the accident, the Federal Aviation Administration icing probability chart showed that icing conditions existed at glide and cruise power. ## Factual narrative On June 25, 2009, at 1815 Pacific daylight time, a Robinson R22 Beta, N836SH, lost engine power during flight and landed hard near Lewiston, Idaho. Lewis and Clark Aviation LLC was operating the helicopter under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The certified flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the instructional flight. According to the CFI, he and the student were in cruise flight for the student’s first instructional flight. During the flight, the rotor rpm dropped suddenly, and the CFI lowered the collective. Then, he rolled on the throttle but did not get a response. The rpm continued to decrease, and the oil light was illuminated as the helicopter impacted the ground. He attempted to do a run on landing but the skids dug into the ground and the helicopter came to rest on its side with the tail boom separated. In a phone conversation following the accident, the CFI reported that he had applied full carburetor heat about “a couple of minutes” prior to the loss of power. At the accident site, the carburetor control was found approximately 1 inch out from its stop. It is unknown whether the position of the control had moved during the accident sequence. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) accident coordinator examined the helicopter at the accident site and following its recovery. The linkage for the carburetor heat was continuous and functional. The engine was test run on the accident helicopter. No mechanical anomalies were observed during the examinations. At 1756, the nearest aviation weather reporting facility reported the dew point as 5 degrees Celsius and the temperature as 25 degrees C. According to the FAA’s icing probability chart, icing conditions existed at glide and cruise power at the time of the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N836SH](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N836SH-2012-01-20), registration cancelled 2012-01-20, S/N 3806, built 2005 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22 BETA - Registry model: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta) (registry code 7640110) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-series) (registry code 41575, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 3806 - Airframe hours: 3088 - Engines: LYCOMING O-360 SERIES 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Lewis and Clark Aviation LLC - Registered owner: Jim Pope - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, April 18, 2009, 70 hours before - Departed: Lewiston, ID - Destination: Lewiston, ID ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 27; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review October 1, 2008; seat: left; flight hours: 263 total, 181 in this make and model, 165 as pilot in command, 23 in the last 90 days, 23 in the last 30 days - Student pilot - Student pilot; age 19; injuries: none; seat: right; flight hours: 0 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 310° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 41 °F - Altimeter: 29.96 inHg - Observed at: LWS, 6 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 20090625010899A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090625010899A), Jun 25, 2009: Robsin R22BETA, Clarkston, WA, Substantial damage. (-23) During loss-of-power autorotation to farmer's stubble field, main rotor severed tail assembly and helicopter turned on it's side. Severe damage to… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 4, 2009, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74142. 1.6 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 668 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40315702&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Record of Conversation CFI (item 2, .PDF, 14 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40316410&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20CFI-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation Student (item 3, .PDF, 13 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40316411&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20Student-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation FAA (item 4, .PDF, 13 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40316412&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20FAA-Master.PDF - FAA Carburetor Icing Chart (item 5, .PDF, 92 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40316413&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Carburetor%20Icing%20Chart-Master.PDF - Photo 1. Accident Site (Provided by FAA) (item 6, .PDF, 821 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40315750&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201.%20Accident%20Site%20(Provided%20by%20FAA)-Master.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.