Robinson R22 BETA N8350N

Summary

On 22 July 1998 at about 20:20 local time, a Robinson R22 BETA registered N8350N was involved in an accident near Englewood, Colorado, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 July 1998 at 20:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Englewood, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

39.5801, -104.8605

Aircraft

Robinson R22 BETA

Registration

N8350N

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Englewood → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW98LA327

2 people had minor injuries.

An encounter with unanticipated windshear or a downdraft.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The instructor and his student were practicing 180 degree autorotations, preparing for the student's commercial and flight instructor checkrides. The maneuvers were begun between 610 and 660 feet above the ground. They completed several autorotations without incident. The instructor said the helicopter dipped slightly as airspeed increased by 5 knots to 65-70 knots indicated. Main rotor rpm decreased slightly, so he made an aft cyclic input and lowered collective slightly. Rate of descent suddenly increased rapidly and the instructor decreased bank angle with cyclic, increased power, and raised the collective. He flared to arrest the rate of descent as much as possible and pulled collective to cushion the landing. The instructor said he thought wind shear or a strong downdraft caused the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.