Robinson R22 N393LE

Summary

On 15 December 2012 at about 20:45 local time, a Robinson R22 registered N393LE, operated by Mountain Ridge Helicopters, was involved in an accident near Logan, Utah, 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

15 December 2012 at 20:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Logan, Utah, United States

Nearest airport

Logan-Cache Airport (LGU)

Coordinates

41.7914, -111.8517

Aircraft

Robinson R22

Registration

N393LE

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Mountain Ridge Helicopters

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Logan → Logan

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR13CA068

Nobody was injured.

The flight instructor’s delayed remedial action and inadequate supervision during a practice autorotation, which resulted in a failure to maintain adequate main rotor rpm. Contributing to the accident was the wet landing surface.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the 180-degree autorotation, the student pilot maintained an airspeed of 65 knots, with rotor rpm in the green. As the student rolled out of the turn about 300 feet above ground level and at 70 knots, the rotor rpm continued to remain in the green. However, before the flare, the rotor rpm began to decay and failed to build as the flare was entered. The flight instructor then took control of the helicopter and immediately rolled on throttle to recover engine power and to maintain rotor rpm, but there was insufficient engine power to recover, and the low rotor rpm light and horn activated. Because power was not available for a full-power-on landing, the flight instructor initiated a full-down autorotation to a taxiway. During the landing, the helicopter skidded across and off the wet taxiway into loose gravel and mud before the left skid dug into the ground, resulting in the helicopter rolling over and coming to rest on its left side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to its welded frames, firewall, and tail cone. The flight instructor reported no preaccident mechanical or malfunctions or failures with the helicopter or flight controls that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.