Robinson R-22B N910SM

Summary

On 19 February 2001 at about 19:30 local time, a Robinson R-22B registered N910SM was involved in an accident near Keene, New Hampshire, 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

19 February 2001 at 19:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Keene, New Hampshire, United States

Nearest airport

Dillant-Hopkins (EEN)

Coordinates

42.8817, -72.2708

Aircraft

Robinson R-22B

Registration

N910SM

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Keene → Keene

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC01LA086

1 person had minor injuries.

inadequate visual lookout by the flight instructor on the helicopter's proximity to the snowbank, and subsequent lift off, which resulted in a dynamic rollover.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot was practicing hovering autorotations with a flight instructor onboard. They were performing the practice in an open field next to a runway. At the rear of the field behind the helicopter was a snowbank with an irregular line. There was a wind of about 10 knots on the nose of the helicopter. During each hovering autorotation, the helicopter ended up further aft than the preceding one. The flight instructor looked out of his left door and based upon the part of the snowbank that he could see, he thought he had about 50-75 feet to the snow bank. However, he was unaware that the left rear skid was already under the crust of the snowbank directly behind the helicopter. He took control of the helicopter with the intent of repositioning it to the middle of the field. When the flight instructor applied the collective to lift off, the helicopter pivoted on the left rear skid, and rolled over on its left side. The flight instructor reported the accident could have been prevented had he maintained better situational awareness of the snowbank in the field where they were practicing, and if he had used a two stage pickup, where he first made the helicopter light on the skids, and then applied the collective to lift off more slowly.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.