Robinson R22 BETA N74815

Summary

On 30 March 2009 at about 21:15 local time, a Robinson R22 BETA registered N74815, operated by Delta Leasing Inc., was involved in an accident near Chandler, Arizona, 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

30 March 2009 at 21:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Chandler, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Chandler Municipal (CHD)

Coordinates

33.2689, -111.8111

Aircraft

Robinson R22 BETA

Registration

N74815

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Delta Leasing Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Chandler → Chandler

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR09CA173

Nobody was injured.

The certified flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the student pilot during a hover demonstration and his subsequent loss of helicopter control that 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 purpose of the flight was for the certified flight instructor (CFI) to demonstrate the helicopter to a prospective student who had no prior helicopter flying experience. They had just performed an hour of uneventful flight and decided to practice hover maneuvers over a turf area adjacent to the airport helipad. The CFI briefed the student on the sensitivity of the helicopter controls during a hover and then passed over the controls to the student. The student unsuccessfully attempted to perform a hover and the CFI then regained control. He elected to let the student try to hover again, and as he relinquished control, the helicopter rolled to the left. The CFI attempted to correct the deviation; however, during recovery the low rotor rpm warning horn sounded. He increased the throttle, but the skid made contact with the ground and the helicopter rolled onto its side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the rotor system and gearbox during the accident sequence.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.