Robinson R22 N2322Z

Summary

On 20 May 2017 at about 20:50 local time, a Robinson R22 registered N2322Z, operated by Heliflights LLC, was involved in an accident near Linden, New Jersey, 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

20 May 2017 at 20:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Linden, New Jersey, United States

Nearest airport

Linden Airport (LDJ)

Coordinates

40.6175, -74.2444

Aircraft

Robinson R22

Registration

N2322Z

Category

Helicopter

Year built

1992

Engines

1

Operator

Heliflights LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Linden → Linden

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA17CA187

Nobody was injured.

The flight instructor's failure to maintain helicopter control while hovering, which resulted in skid contact with the ground and a dynamic roll-over.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The helicopter flight instructor stated that he was providing the student pilot with his first introductory flight in a helicopter. The flight instructor was holding the dual controls lightly while the student pilot practiced hovering. The helicopter was hovering over a concrete area on the airport and had drifted over grass. The flight instructor then told the student pilot to hover back over the concrete. As the helicopter was proceeding back to the concrete, the student pilot made an abrupt movement on the cyclic to the right, and the right skid contacted an unknown object, which caused a dynamic roll-over. The student pilot's written account was similar, except he stated that the flight instructor had taken control of the helicopter and was hovering toward the concrete when a sudden downward push of wind caused a forceful movement to the right. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the right skid had contacted the ground, which resulted in a dynamic rollover and substantial damage to the main rotor blades and fuselage. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions were noted nor did the pilots report any. The wind at the airport was recorded as calm about the time of the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.