- Date
- April 6, 2022, 20:10 local (Apr 7, 2022, 03:10 UTC)
- Place
- Phoenix, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N19VHRobinson Helicopter R22
- Defining event
- Standing: Dynamic rollover
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20220406001729A
- Case key
- 104908
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 pilot’s failure to maintain helicopter control while on the ground when his attention was diverted, which resulted in a dynamic rollover.
Findings · 4
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 pilot in the helicopter reported that, during a night solo training flight, the helicopter was on the ground with the throttle rolled on and full collective friction applied when he used a flashlight to view the Hobbs meter. Unbeknownst to him, the collective crept up, the helicopter rolled to the right and dynamically rolled over. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer, and the main rotor system. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal flight operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N19VH
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R22 (Beta II)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3528
- Built
- 2004
- Airframe hours
- 15,042
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 131 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Quantum Helicopters
- Registered owner
- Delta Leasing Inc DBA
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 29, 2022 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- CHD · Chandler, AZ
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- IWA · Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport
- Equipment
- ADS-B
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
- Pilot
- Age
- 26
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 21, 2021
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 177 total · 177 in this make and model · 92 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 70° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 16 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- KIWA, 1 nm away
- METAR
- KIWA 070325Z 07010G15KT 10SM CLR 28/M09 A3002 RMK ACFT MSHP
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 30, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.7 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.