- Date
- September 7, 2012, 12:10 local (19:10 UTC)
- Place
- Lake Newman, WA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N212SHRobinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-hover: Dynamic rollover
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 5, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Spokane FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120907018629A
- Case key
- 84968
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 flight instructor's failure to maintain clearance from terrain while correcting for the student pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the helicopter.
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
While practicing low-level hovering during a training flight, the student, who had 2 hours of total flight time, was unable to maintain directional control. The flight instructor took control of the helicopter and applied control inputs to arrest the helicopter’s student-induced movement. As the helicopter began to move in the desired direction, the left skid contacted the terrain, and the helicopter rolled over, coming to rest on its left side, which resulted in substantial damage to the main and tail rotor blades, tail cone, and fuselage. According to the instructor, there was no indication of a preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
While practicing low level hovering during a dual training flight, the student, who had accumulated two hours total flight time, was unable to maintain directional control. The flight instructor therefore took control of the helicopter and applied control inputs to arrest the student induced movement to the right and to the rear. As the helicopter began to move forward and to the left, the flight instructor inadvertently allowed the left skid to come in contact with the terrain. The contact with the terrain resulted in a dynamic rollover, with the helicopter coming to rest on its left side. According to the instructor, there was no indication of a mechanical malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N212SH
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3995
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Inland Helicopters Inc
- Registered owner
- Emerald City Leasing
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 6, 2012
- Departed
- KSFF · Spokane, WA
- Destination
- KSFF · Spokane, WA
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
- 38
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 7, 2012
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 502 total · 368 in this make and model
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 43
- Injuries
- None
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2 total · 2 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 5, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.7 MB 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.