The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Scottsdale, Arizona
Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms
http://registry.faa.gov/N22UH
Accident Number: WPR16LA156
Date & Time: 08/02/2016, 1027 MST
Registration: N22UH
Aircraft: ROBINSON R22
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 2 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional
On August 2, 2016, about 1027 mountain standard time (MST), a Robinson R22 helicopter, N22UH, landed hard at Ernest A Love Field Airport, Prescott, Arizona. The certificated flight instructor and student pilot received minor injuries. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and the tail boom. The helicopter was registered to Alba Leasing Services and operated by Universal Helicopters under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 as an instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The local flight departed Prescott, Arizona, about 0950.
The student pilot and the flight instructor were practicing straight in autorotations. During the glide, with the student pilot at the controls, about 400 feet above ground level, the flight instructor noticed a fast rate of decent and a decay in rotor RPM. The flight instructor stated to the student that he had the controls and started applying collective and throttle control to recover RPM. The instructor felt the collective go up and stated again to the student that he had the controls. The flight instructor was unable to arrest the decent or recover RPM prior to the hard landing. During touchdown, the landing skids collapsed, the main rotor blades connected with and severed the tail boom. The helicopter came to rest on its left side.
The flight instructor reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Flight Instructor Information
Certificate: Flight Instructor; Commercial
Age: 34, Male
Airplane Rating(s):
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Helicopter
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): Helicopter
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): Helicopter
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 02/26/2014
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 10/02/2014
Flight Time: 1119.4 hours (Total, all aircraft), 779.9 hours (Total, this make and model), 1046.6 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 123.8 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 71.1 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 2 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)
Student Pilot Information
Certificate: Student
Age: 26, Male
Airplane Rating(s): None
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 1 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 03/01/2016
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 56 hours (Total, all aircraft), 56 hours (Total, this make and model), 56 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft)
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: ROBINSON
Registration: N22UH
Model/Series: R22 BETA
Aircraft Category: Helicopter
Year of Manufacture: 2015
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 4676
Landing Gear Type: Skid
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 06/28/2016, 100 Hour
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1370 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 30 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 882.7 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT: Not installed
Engine Model/Series: O-360-J2A
Registered Owner: Alba Leasing Services
Rated Power: 145 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KPRC, 5052 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 1 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1725 UTC
Direction from Accident Site: 203°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 3000 ft agl
Visibility: 10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 3 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: /
Wind Direction: 140°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: /
Altimeter Setting: 30.26 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 24°C / 18°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Prescott, AZ (PRC)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Prescott, AZ (PRC)
Type of Clearance: VFR
Departure Time: 0950 MST
Type of Airspace: Class D
Airport Information
Airport: ERNEST A LOVE FIELD (PRC)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 5044 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 21R
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 4846 ft / 60 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Simulated Forced Landing
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 2 Minor
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Minor
Latitude, Longitude: 34.660833, -112.416389
NTSB Identification: WPR16LA156
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, August 02, 2016 in Prescott, AZ
Aircraft: ROBINSON R22, registration: N22UH
Injuries: 1 Serious, 1 Minor.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On August 2, 2016, about 1035 mountain standard time (MST), a Robinson R22, N22UH, made a hard landing at Ernest A Love Field Airport, Prescott, Arizona. The helicopter was being operated by Universal Helicopters under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The student pilot received minor injuries and the flight instructor (CFI) was seriously injured. The helicopter sustained substantial damage during the accident sequence. The local instructional flight departed Prescott, Arizona, about 1000. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed.
The pre-solo student pilot and the flight instructor were practicing straight in auto-rotations. The flight instructor stated during the descent he noticed the rotor RPM was low and then the student pilot increased the collective pitch which resulted in the rotor RPM to decay further. The helicopter hit the ground hard and the landing skids collapsed, the main rotor blades connected with the tail boom and severed the tail boom. The helicopter came to rest on its left side.
The flight instructor reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
The accident site was documented and photographed. The wreckage was recovered for further examination.
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