Robinson R44 II N44DQ

Summary

On 28 November 2013 at about 19:00 local time, a Robinson R44 II registered N44DQ, operated by Upper Limit Aviation, was involved in an accident near Tunica, Mississippi, 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

28 November 2013 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Tunica, Mississippi, United States

Nearest airport

Tunica Municipal Airport (UTA)

Coordinates

34.6811, -90.3461

Aircraft

Robinson R44 II

Registration

N44DQ

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2005

Engines

1

Operator

Upper Limit Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tunica → Tunica

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA14CA055

Nobody was injured.

The student pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter during the attempted takeoff, and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the student pilot.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight instructor and the student pilot were practicing hovering autorotation maneuvers in a helicopter. Following a successful autorotation, and while the helicopter was on the ground with the collective pitch control fully lowered, the pilot told the student, "let's do another one." The flight instructor planned to remind the student pilot to center the anti-torque pedals, as some right pedal was still applied following the preceding autorotation. Before he could do so, the student pilot rapidly increased the engine throttle and the helicopter began yawing to the right. In order to keep the helicopter from sliding along the ground, the student forcefully increased the collective pitch. The helicopter lifted off the ground instantly and the flight instructor advised the student pilot, "I have controls." The student subsequently "locked up on the controls" and inadvertently applied full left anti-torque pedal as he attempted to brace himself. The helicopter yawed rapidly while in the air and the tail of the helicopter struck the ground, resulting in substantial damage. The flight instructor eventually regained control of the helicopter, reduced the throttle to idle, and performed a successful autorotation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.