Pilot Debrief

ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22 BETA near Lansing, IL — 2011-05-20

Final reportCEN11CA351
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Date
2011-05-20
Location
Lansing, IL, USA
Airport
IGQ
Aircraft
ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22 BETA
Registration
N7197Z
Category
Helicopter
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

The student pilot’s failure to maintain control of the helicopter while hovering.

NTSB narrative

The student pilot reported that it was his first solo helicopter flight. He performed two takeoffs and landings with his flight instructor on board, and then the instructor got out of the helicopter. The student pilot took off, flew a normal traffic pattern, and made a successful full-stop landing. He taxied off the runway and set the helicopter back down on the taxiway. He lifted off the ground again into a hover and started to taxi to the ramp where the instructor was located. The instructor observed the student pilot lose control of the helicopter as he was doing a pedal turn to the left. The helicopter did a “massive yaw, pitch, and roll.” It hit the ground on its aft skids, bending the aft skid tube. It bounced up, rolled left in a nose-high attitude, and the tail rotor struck the ground. The operator reported that there was no mechanical malfunction with or failure of the helicopter.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 1 docket document
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents1

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