Robinson R22 BETA N7116L

Summary

On 3 December 2021 at about 17:00 local time, a Robinson R22 BETA registered N7116L, operated by Tcwh Inc, was involved in an accident near Hachita, New Mexico, United States. One person was 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

3 December 2021 at 17:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Hachita, New Mexico, United States

Coordinates

31.5159, -108.4580

Aircraft

Robinson R22 BETA

Registration

N7116L

Category

Helicopter

Year built

1999

Engines

1

Operator

Tcwh Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hachita → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR22LA059

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot’s failure to adequately monitor the environment during a low level operation, which resulted in collision with vegetation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot departed for a cattle roundup flight of a herd of cows and a single bull. As he approached the herd, with the intention of driving the cattle into the corral, the bull departed and headed toward an area covered with heavy mesquite brush. The pilot circled the area, and stopped the bull under a large mesquite bush, however, while at a hover the bull made a move to go behind the helicopter and the pilot maneuvered the helicopter aft and in so doing the tail rotor contacted a small mesquite limb approximately 1/2 inch in diameter. The impact resulted in a catastrophic failure of the tail rotor system, which separated from the tailboom. The helicopter began to spin, and the pilot applied correct control inputs and reduced engine power. The helicopter then landed hard in a level attitude, spreading the skids and deforming the lower fuselage structure. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.