Pilot Debrief

ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22 BETA near Holbrook, AZ — 2017-02-18

Final reportWPR17LA068
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Date
2017-02-18
Location
Holbrook, AZ, USA
Aircraft
ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22 BETA
Registration
N7095A
Category
Helicopter
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Maneuvering

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to compensate for a loss of effective translational lift while turning from an upwind to a downwind condition at a low altitude and low airspeed, which resulted in a loss of helicopter control.

NTSB narrative

The private pilot was conducting a personal local flight in the helicopter. The pilot stated that he was flying at a low altitude over a cow pasture and descended to look at the cows. The helicopter was operating at 10 knots with a 7-knot headwind when the pilot initiated a 180° turn, which resulted in a tailwind condition and a subsequent uncommanded descent. The pilot took remedial actions, but the helicopter landed hard, and the main rotor blades severed the tailboom. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical anomalies with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that the helicopter lost effective translational lift during the turn from a headwind to a tailwind condition and that the pilot failed to compensate for the loss of translational lift, which resulted in the uncontrolled descent.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have avoided the un-commanded descent by maintaining better control during the turn.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 1 docket document
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents1

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