Robinson R22 BETA N505LA

Summary

On 25 November 2009 at about 17:25 local time, a Robinson R22 BETA registered N505LA was involved in an accident near Long Beach, California, 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

25 November 2009 at 17:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Long Beach, California, United States

Nearest airport

Long Beach (LGB)

Coordinates

33.8178, -118.1514

Aircraft

Robinson R22 BETA

Registration

N505LA

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Long Beach → Long Beach

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR10CA065

Nobody was injured.

The flight instructor's failure to arrest the helicopter's descent and to maintain lateral control during a hovering autorotation practice.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight instructor reported that he had successfully completed the demonstration of several flight maneuvers for the student pilot. He configured the helicopter for a hovering autorotation, closed the throttle, and the helicopter subsequently descended in a left skid low attitude. The left skid of the helicopter struck the ground, and the instructor attempted to apply corrective control inputs. The helicopter then rolled onto its left side, causing substantial damage to the fuselage and the main rotor system. The flight instructor reported that the helicopter and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions prior to the accident. He further stated that the accident could have been prevented if he applied right cyclic, and right yaw pedal control during the descent, and cushioned the landing by raising the collective control.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.