Robinson R22 N666BH

Summary

On 16 March 2001 at about 14:30 local time, a Robinson R22 registered N666BH was involved in an accident near Okeechobee, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 March 2001 at 14:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Okeechobee, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Okeechobee County (OBE)

Coordinates

27.2628, -80.8497

Aircraft

Robinson R22

Registration

N666BH

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Okeechobee → Okeechobee

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA01LA101

Nobody was injured.

an in-flight collision with the ground during a simulated engine failure, and autorotation, which resulted in the tailboom separating. A contributing factor in this accident was the pilot allowed the rotor rpm to decay which resulted in inadequate rotor rpm to cushion the helicopter onto the ground.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The certified flight instructor [CFI] was demonstrating a low-level simulated engine failure/autorotation to the student. According to the CFI's statement, on approach, at about 250ft above ground level, the CFI took the controls and entered an autorotation to demonstrate the importance of maintaining sufficient airspeed in case of an engine failure. He started the power recovery too late allowing the rotor rpm to decay and the heel of the skids to contact the ground hard rocking the helicopter forward followed by a loud bang as the main rotor blades struck and severed the tailboom.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.