# NTSB WPR23LA265: Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta, N74778, Emmett, ID, July 8, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: July 8, 2023, 13:52 local (19:52 UTC)
- Place: Emmett, ID · open field
- Coordinates: 43.794444, -116.54444
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.7944&lon=-116.5444&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Maneuvering: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 2 minor
- 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): 192583
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR23LA265
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/192583/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192583
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA265

## Probable cause

The instructor’s failure to maintain airspeed during a simulated turning autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [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 R22 BETA, 96 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/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 R22 BETA, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Maneuvering: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 67 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=7640110), [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 R22 BETA, 54 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The flight instructor reported that he was demonstrating a turning autorotation to his student. The instructor entered the glide, turned, and kept the engine and rotor RPM gauges in the green arc, while maintaining an airspeed of about 55 knots. He increased the throttle setting and raised the collective lever as the helicopter descended through 200 ft AGL, however, the rotor RPMs fell below the green arc. The instructor made the decision to continue the autorotation with ground contact and applied aft cyclic to reduce the decent rate. The helicopter landed hard and nosed over onto its right side, resulting in substantial damage to the tailboom and tail rotor assembly. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N74778](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N74778-2024-06-01), registration cancelled 2024-06-01, S/N 3968, built 2005 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22 BETA
- Registry model: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta) (registry code 7640110) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming O-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-series) (registry code 41575, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 3968
- Year built: 2005
- Airframe hours: 7283.75
- Engines: Lycoming O-360-J2A 145 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, June 14, 2023, 58.75 hours before
- Departed: KEUL, Caldwell, ID
- Flight plan: Company VFR
- Equipment: ADS-B

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 25; injuries: minor; commercial, flight instructor; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review January 27, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 571.6 total, 391.3 in this make and model, 523 as pilot in command, 228.8 in the last 90 days, 67.8 in the last 30 days, 1.5 in the last 24 hours
- Student pilot; injuries: minor; student; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 70.4 total, 70.4 in this make and model, 1.4 as pilot in command, 42.3 in the last 90 days, 17.1 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Turbulence: Light
- Observed at: KEUL, 9 nm away
- METAR: KEUL 081956Z AUTO VRB03KT 10SM 31/11 A2987 RMK AO2 SLP090 T03110106 $

## 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 20230708008169A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230708008169A), Jul 8, 2023: Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, Emmett, ID, Destroyed. Instructor and student were flying south of the Emmett, Idaho airport. The instructor was going to demonstrate an off-airport autorotation. The instructor…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 2, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192583. 5.8 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 5.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15979295&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR23LA265_6120_flat_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 600 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16004391&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=damage%20photo_508-Rel.pdf
- Additional statement from pilot (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 48 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15979017&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR23LA265_NTSB%20Pilot%20Narrative%206120%20Attachment-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.

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