NTSB Identification: ERA12CA137
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, January 06, 2012 in St Petersburg, FL
Probable Cause Approval Date: 11/07/2012
Aircraft: ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22 BETA, registration: N8066U
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.
NTSB investigators used data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator and did not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.
According to the helicopter flight instructor, he was preparing a helicopter-rated commercial pilot for his helicopter flight instructor check ride. After the pilot receiving instruction completed a straight-in autorotation, the flight instructor demonstrated a throttle-off, 180-degree autorotation from 600 feet above ground level (agl). The pilot receiving instruction then attempted the same maneuver, but during the entry, the helicopter airspeed became slow while the rotor rpm remained "in the green." The pilot receiving instruction lowered the nose of the helicopter, which increased airspeed. As the helicopter turned onto final approach at an altitude of about 300 feet agl, the flight instructor advised the pilot receiving instruction to ease back on the cyclic while raising the collective to maintain rotor rpm. About 150 feet agl, at an airspeed of about 85 knots, and a rate of descent of about 2,000 feet per minute, the flight instructor took over control of the helicopter and began to pull back on the cyclic while raising the collective. Despite the flight instructor’s efforts, the helicopter continued a tail-low descent into the ground, severing the tail boom. Postaccident examination revealed no preexisting mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The flight instructor's delayed remedial action during the pilot-receiving-instruction's practice autorotation that developed a high rate of descent. Contributing to the accident was the pilot-receiving-instruction's improper control inputs during the practice autorotation.
According to the helicopter flight instructor, he was preparing a helicopter-rated commercial pilot for his helicopter flight instructor check ride. After the pilot receiving instruction completed a straight-in autorotation, the flight instructor demonstrated a throttle-off, 180-degree autorotation from 600 feet above ground level (agl). The pilot receiving instruction then attempted the same maneuver, but during the entry, the helicopter airspeed became slow while the rotor rpm remained "in the green." The pilot receiving instruction lowered the nose of the helicopter, which increased airspeed. As the helicopter turned onto final approach at an altitude of about 300 feet agl, the flight instructor advised the pilot receiving instruction to ease back on the cyclic while raising the collective to maintain rotor rpm. About 150 feet agl, at an airspeed of about 85 knots, and a rate of descent of about 2,000 feet per minute, the flight instructor took over control of the helicopter and began to pull back on the cyclic while raising the collective. Despite the flight instructor’s efforts, the helicopter continued a tail-low descent into the ground, severing the tail boom. Postaccident examination revealed no preexisting mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
NTSB Identification: ERA12CA137
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, January 06, 2012 in St Petersburg, FL
Aircraft: ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22 BETA, registration: N8066U
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.
NTSB investigators used data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator and did not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.
According to the helicopter flight instructor, he was preparing the helicopter-rated private pilot for his flight instructor check ride. After the private pilot completed a straight-in autorotation, the flight instructor demonstrated a throttle-off, 180-degree autorotation from 600 feet above the ground (agl). The private pilot then attempted the same maneuver, but during the entry, the helicopter airspeed became slow while the rotor rpm remained "in the green." The private pilot lowered the nose of the helicopter, which increased airspeed, and as the helicopter rolled onto final approach, about 300 feet agl, the flight instructor advised the private pilot to ease back on the cyclic while raising the collective to maintain rotor rpm. About 150 feet agl and 85 knots, at a rate of descent of about 2,000 feet per minute, the flight instructor took the controls and began to pull back on the cyclic while raising the collective. About 100 feet agl, the flight instructor rolled the power back on and added more aft cyclic, but the helicopter continued its tail-low descent into the ground, severing the tail boom. No preexisting mechanical anomalies were noted with the helicopter.
The two-seater Robinson helicopter crashed upon landing at the St. Petersburg airport Friday afternoon.
Photo Credit: St.Petersburg Fire Department
ST. PETERSBURG — A helicopter made a hard landing and ended up on its side at Albert Whitted Airport on Friday afternoon, according to St. Petersburg Fire and Rescue.
The incident took place at 3:53 p.m. The helicopter was a white Robinson R22, a single-engine light helicopter with a two-bladed main rotor that weighs just under 1,000 pounds.
There were two occupants inside the helicopter who managed to crawl out after the hard landing, according to Lt. Joel Granata. Both escaped unharmed, The occupants were checked out by paramedics and refused treatment.
The aircraft had 14 gallons of fuel at the time of the landing but no fuel leak was reported, according to fire officials.
The cause of the hard-landing is unknown, Granata said. The pilot did not tell firefighters what went wrong.
FAA officials have been dispatched to the scene to investigate.
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