- Date
- June 6, 2024, 16:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Maricopa, AZ · On airport
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Emergency descent
- Aircraft
- N7514VRobinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Defining event
- Autorotation: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- 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
- FAA report
- 20240606005669A
- Case key
- 194414
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 flight instructor’s unstabilized approach during an autorotation that resulted in hard landing.
Findings · 2
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 flight instructor of the helicopter reported that, he initiated the autorotation from about 1,000 ft above ground level (agl). As they were descending toward the runway, the instructor noted his airspeed at 55 kts and a high rate of descent. He began the flare, but the rate of descent continued, so he attempted a power recovery. The helicopter continued to descend, and he raised the collective, to cushion the landing. The helicopter landed hard, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage, tailboom and vertical stabilizer. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7514V
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3512
- Built
- 2003
- Airframe hours
- 13,296.7
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-J2A, 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 · May 31, 2024
- Departed
- CHD · Chandler, AZ
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- A39 · Ak-Chin Regional Airport, runway 22, 4,751 × 50 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device, 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 26
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 26, 2022
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,172 total · 1,172 in this make and model · 1,092 as pilot in command · 126 in the last 90 days · 34 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 27
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 13, 2024
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 204 total · 204 in this make and model · 124 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 11 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 108 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.75 inHg
- Observed at
- KCGZ, 8 nm away
- METAR
- KCGZ 062156Z AUTO 29011G15KT 10SM CLR 42/05 A2975 RMK AO2 SLP055 T04220050 PNO $
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 2, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 7.0 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.