Robinson R-22 N9077F

Summary

On 10 March 2001 at about 22:00 local time, a Robinson R-22 registered N9077F, operated by Helicopter Flight Training, Inc., was involved in an accident near Islip, New York, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 March 2001 at 22:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Islip, New York, United States

Nearest airport

Mac Arthur (ISP)

Coordinates

40.7950, -74.1000

Aircraft

Robinson R-22

Registration

N9077F

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Helicopter Flight Training, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Islip → Islip

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC01LA087

1 person had minor injuries.

The certified flight instructor’s inadequate supervision and delayed remedial action, which resulted in a roll-over. Factors in this accident were the crosswind condition and soft landing area.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The certified flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot were practicing auto-rotations from a hover. According to the CFI, after the student pilot rolled off the throttle, he immediately raised the collective, instead of letting the helicopter settle. The helicopter also began to yaw to the left and the wind was 17 to 21 knots, blowing from right to left. The student pilot then made an abrupt input to the cyclic control and the left skid contacted the ground. He also applied "full up collective a little too early." The CFI said that the helicopter's left skid dug into the soft ground, and it began to roll over. He further stated, "When I realized the helicopter was about to pivot over, it was already too late...." The helicopter rolled onto it's left side, and the main and tail rotor blades contacted the ground. The CFI reported he had accumulated approximately 900 flight hours in helicopters, of which, about 800 hours were in the R-22. Winds reported at the airport, about the time of the accident, were from 290 degrees at 11 knots, with 19 knot gusts.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.