# NTSB WPR14CA227: Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta, N223G, Prescott, AZ, June 4, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: June 4, 2014, 15:08 local (22:08 UTC) - Place: Prescott, AZ - Coordinates: 34.674999, -112.427497 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.6750&lon=-112.4275&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 24, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FederalAviation Adminstration FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 89365 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR14CA227 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/89365/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89365 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14CA227 ## 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 NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) - [Engine controls: mixture control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057602): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Unintentional use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 41 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057602/cases.md) - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring other person](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535): Personnel issues › Psychological · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 200 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535/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: [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Autorotation: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## 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 (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22 BETA - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 3211 - Year built: 2001 - Airframe hours: 8549 - Engines: 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 As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 24; injuries: none; 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 - Student pilot; age 33; injuries: none; 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 ## 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 20140604008779A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140604008779A), Jun 4, 2014: Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, Prescott, AZ, Substantial damage. On 6/4/2014, at 15:30 local time an R-22 helicopter departed prc on a training flight for a CFI student transferring from another school. This was the first… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 4, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89365. 3.2 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 398 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40416008&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - R22 Pilot Operating Handbook Excerpt (item 2, .PDF, 55 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40416011&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=R22%20Pilot%20Operating%20Handbook%20Excerpt-Master.PDF - Photo 1 - Helicopter at Accident Site (item 3, .PDF, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40416009&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20-%20Helicopter%20at%20Accident%20Site-Master.PDF - Photo 2 - Mixture and Cyclic Right Trim Control (item 4, .PDF, 828 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40416010&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20-%20Mixture%20and%20Cyclic%20Right%20Trim%20Control-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.