Pilot Debrief

ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22 BETA near Olympia, WA — 2024-05-03

Final reportWPR24LA139
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Date
2024-05-03
Location
Olympia, WA, USA
Airport
OLM
Aircraft
ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22 BETA
Registration
N4082J
Category
Helicopter
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

The flight instructor’s delayed action to arrest the descending, left pedal turn while maneuvering for a low-altitude hover with the helicopter near the maximum gross weight limitation, which resulted in an impact with the ground and a dynamic rollover.

NTSB narrative

The flight instructor taxied the helicopter from one side of the airport to the other during an instructional flight with a student while the helicopter’s loading was near (about 12 lbs over) its maximum gross weight. As the helicopter approached the intended hover practice area, the instructor began a descending, left pedal turn to align the helicopter into the wind. During the descending turn and while about 10 ft above ground level (agl), the instructor began to add collective to arrest the helicopter’s descent; however, the helicopter continued to descend and impacted the ground with the toe of its right skid, leading to a dynamic rollover. No evidence of pre-accident mechanical malfunction or failure was revealed during a postaccident examination of the helicopter. Thus, given the helicopter’s high gross weight and left turn during the descent (both of which require more antitorque thrust and reduce the amount of engine power available to produce lift), it is likely that the instructor’s action to raise the collective was delayed, which resulted in an inadequate amount of time and altitude for the increased collective to be able to arrest the helicopter’s descent before impact with the ground.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Video
  • 8 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents8

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