# NTSB WPR22LA267: Robinson Helicopter R44 II, N497SU, Cedar City, UT, July 25, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: July 25, 2022, 08:45 local (14:45 UTC) - Place: Cedar City, UT · open terrain - Coordinates: 37.70235, -113.30115 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.7024&lon=-113.3012&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Emergency descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/600) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Autorotation: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 105568 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR22LA267 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105568/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105568 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA267 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s failure to maintain rotor rpm and airspeed and the flight instructor's inadequate remedial action to regain helicopter control during the straight-in autorotation which resulted in a hard landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: descent rate](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R44 II, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037/cases.md?model=7640122), [All aircraft, 242 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R44 II, 99 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7640122), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring other person](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535): Personnel issues › Psychological · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R44 II, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535/cases.md?model=7640122), [All aircraft, 200 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R44 II, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=7640122), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R44 II, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=7640122), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Autorotation: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R44 II, 74 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=7640122), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Autorotation: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R44 II, 40 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=7640122), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The helicopter flight instructor was performing straight-in autorotation with power recovery maneuvers with a student pilot. On the third autorotation, the flight instructor stated that the student started the maneuver at 700 ft above ground level (agl) with the main rotor rpm at 100%. During the glide, when the RPM decayed to 90% and the airspeed decreased to 60 knots, the instructor intervened, and he attempted to recover the lost RPM. About 100 ft agl, the instructor prepared for a roll-on landing. The helicopter subsequently landed hard, rolled over on it’s left side and sustained substantial damage when the main rotor blades severed the tailboom. The instructor reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N497SU](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N497SU), registered now, S/N 11441, built 2006 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II - Registry model: [Robinson Helicopter R44 II](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii) (registry code 7640122) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-ae1a5) (registry code 41899, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 11441 - Year built: 2006 - Airframe hours: 5286.9 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 235 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Southern Utah University - Registered owner: Southern Utah University - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, June 28, 2022 - Departed: KCDC, Cedar City, UT - Flight plan: Company VFR - Equipment: ADS-B, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 28; injuries: minor; commercial, flight instructor; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review January 21, 2021; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 376 total, 302 in this make and model, 296 as pilot in command, 93 in the last 90 days, 57 in the last 30 days - Student pilot; injuries: none; student; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 27 total, 27 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 30.20 inHg - Observed at: KCDC, 10 nm away - METAR: METAR KCDC 251453Z AUTO 23009KT 10SM CLR 24/14 A3020 RMK AO2 SLP137 T02390139 51013= ## 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 20220725007889A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220725007889A), Jul 25, 2022: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Cedar City, UT, Substantial damage. On July 25, 2022, the instructor and student were practicing autorotations west of Cedar City airport (cdc) in preparation for the student?s private pilot… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 11, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105568. 2.2 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14321793&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_%20WPR22LA267_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot's statement (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 134 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14455601&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20phone%20conversation%20(Pilot)_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 602 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14321424&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR22LA267%20Photo-Rel.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.