- Date
- June 4, 2014, 15:08 local (22:08 UTC)
- Place
- Prescott, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N223GRobinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 24, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FederalAviation Adminstration FSDO
- FAA report
- 20140604008779A
- Case key
- 89365
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 inadvertent activation of the engine's mixture control during cruise flight by the pilot undergoing instruction, which resulted in a total loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's inadequate monitoring of the pilot's actions.
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
Shortly after departure, the commercial pilot undergoing instruction leveled the helicopter for cruise at an altitude of 300 feet above ground level, in compliance with the flight school's departure procedures. He reached down to the instrument panel pedestal with the intention of pulling the cyclic right trim knob; however, the flight instructor observed him instead reach for the adjacent engine fuel mixture control. The instructor yelled for him to stop, and attempted to swat his hand clear, however, the pilot then pulled the control and the engine lost all power. The flight instructor initiated an autorotation while simultaneously pushing the mixture control back down. The engine did not restart, and the helicopter landed hard, with the main rotor blades severing the tailboom. The high density altitude conditions, along with the helicopter's altitude and airspeed at the time of power loss, meant that it was operating on the edge of the "Avoid Operation" area of the height-velocity performance envelope. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
Shortly after departure, the commercial pilot undergoing instruction leveled the helicopter for cruise at an altitude of 300 feet above ground level, in compliance with the flight school's departure procedures. He reached down to the instrument panel pedestal with the intention of pulling the cyclic right trim knob; however, the flight instructor observed him instead reach for the adjacent engine fuel mixture control. The instructor yelled for him to stop, and attempted to swat his hand clear, however, the pilot then pulled the control and the engine lost all power. The flight instructor initiated an autorotation while simultaneously pushing the mixture control back down. The engine did not restart, and the helicopter landed hard, with the main rotor blades severing the tailboom. The high density altitude conditions, along with the helicopter's altitude and airspeed at the time of power loss, meant that it was operating on the edge of the "Avoid Operation" area of the height-velocity performance envelope. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N223G
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3211
- Built
- 2001
- Airframe hours
- 8,549
- Engine
- Lycoming O&VO-360 SER, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Guidance Helicopters Inc
- Registered owner
- Guidance Helicopters Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 31, 2014 · 19 hours before
- Departed
- PRC · Prescott, AZ
- Destination
- PRC · Prescott, AZ
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- PRC · Ernest A. Love Field
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 24
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 7, 2014
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 2,673.5 total · 1,257.4 in this make and model · 2,612.3 as pilot in command · 101.5 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days · 2.5 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 33
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 282.2 total · 224.8 in this make and model · 225.6 as pilot in command · 1.2 in the last 90 days · 1.2 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 18 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point -11 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
- Observed at
- KPRC, 1 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 4, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.2 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.