Robinson R22 N7685H

Summary

On 6 February 2017 at about 20:50 local time, a Robinson R22 registered N7685H, operated by Cloud 9 Helicopters, was involved in an accident near West Palm Beach, Florida, 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

6 February 2017 at 20:50

Classification

Accident

Location

West Palm Beach, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

North Palm Beach (F45)

Coordinates

26.8458, -80.2222

Aircraft

Robinson R22

Registration

N7685H

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2002

Engines

1

Operator

Cloud 9 Helicopters

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

West Palm Beach → West Palm Beach

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA17CA101

Nobody was injured.

The flight instructor’s failure to maintain helicopter control while demonstrating lowrotor rpm operations from a hover.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the flight instructor, he was conducting an instructional flight in the helicopter and demonstrating low-rotor rpm operations from a hover. The helicopter was at a 3-ft hover when he initiated the maneuver with the student pilot "on the flight controls" following the flight instructor's movements. As the throttle was reduced, the helicopter's nose began to rotate to the left. The flight instructor pushed the right antitorque pedal to counter the rotation, but the pedal initially felt like it was "blocked." The right skid contacted the taxiway, causing the helicopter to bounce and rotate to the right. The flight instructor applied full throttle and collective to attempt to gain altitude; however, the helicopter departed the taxiway, entered an adjacent grass area, and rolled over onto its left side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor and the tailboom. Examination of the flight control system by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal any anomalies. In addition, the flight instructor reported there was no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.