Robinson R22 BETA N3104U

Summary

On 21 December 2024 at about 21:27 local time, a Robinson R22 BETA registered N3104U, operated by So Fly Flight Training Academy, LLC, was involved in an accident near Springfield, Missouri, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 December 2024 at 21:27

Classification

Accident

Location

Springfield, Missouri, United States

Nearest airport

Downtown Airport (3DW)

Coordinates

37.0000, -93.0000

Aircraft

Robinson R22 BETA

Registration

N3104U

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2006

Engines

1

Operator

So Fly Flight Training Academy, LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN25LA063

1 person had minor injuries.

The student pilot’s failure to maintain control of the helicopter while turning on the blower fan switch after landing that resulted in a dynamic rollover sequence.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot reported having completed one flight around the airport traffic pattern with a flight instructor in preparation for the student pilot’s first solo flight. They then landed near a fixed base operator at the airport, and the flight instructor exited the helicopter. The student pilot took off and practiced hovering, hovering taxi, and flew three airport traffic patterns before returning to the grass area at the airport for additional hover and hover taxi practice. The windshield began to fog during the additional practice, so the student pilot landed the helicopter to turn the blower fan switch on, but did not engage the collective friction or reduce the engine power. The student pilot said he had never used the blower fan switch, and it took a couple of seconds to locate, during which time the helicopter rolled right, and the main rotor blades contacted the ground. The helicopter came to rest on its left side. The blower fan switch is located near the floor between the pilot’s legs. The helicopter was destroyed by its impact with the ground. The student pilot stated there was no mechanical malfunctions/failures of the helicopter.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.