Robinson R22 N2336J

Summary

On 10 July 2017 at about 12:45 local time, a Robinson R22 registered N2336J, operated by Valley Aviation Inc, was involved in an accident near Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 July 2017 at 12:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Wilkes-Barre Wyoming Valley (WBW)

Coordinates

41.2972, -75.8522

Aircraft

Robinson R22

Registration

N2336J

Category

Helicopter

Year built

1992

Engines

1

Operator

Valley Aviation Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Forty Fort → Forty Fort

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA17CA406

1 person had minor injuries.

The flight instructor's delayed remedial action to maintain helicopter altitude during hover flight instruction, which resulted in the helicopter skid contacting a crack in the runway and a dynamic rollover.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

**This report was modified on July 17, 2020. Please see the docket for this accident to view the original report.** The flight instructor reported that he was teaching his student to hover in the helicopter. The helicopter was in a 2-ft hover and began drifting to the left. The left rear skid got caught in a crack in the runway, and the helicopter rolled left. According to the flight instructor, the student pilot pulled up on the collective, and the instructor attempted to push the collective down; however, the student pilot reported that he was not aware the flight instructor had transferred control of the helicopter to him and was "tracking the progress of the flight instructor." A dynamic rollover occurred, and the helicopter rolled onto its left side. The flight instructor reported that wind gusts may have been a factor in the accident. According to the METAR that the flight instructor was monitoring about the time of the accident, the wind was from 210° at 8 knots. The METAR reported no wind gusts and no convective activity that day. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tailboom and the main rotor system. The pilots reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.    

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.