Robinson R22 N8373J

Summary

On 8 March 1983 at about 00:25 local time, a Robinson R22 registered N8373J, operated by Coker Helicopters, was involved in an accident near Grand Prairie, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

8 March 1983 at 00:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Grand Prairie, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Grand Prairie (F67)

Coordinates

32.7294, -96.9990

Aircraft

Robinson R22

Registration

N8373J

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Coker Helicopters

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW83FA143

Nobody was injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT & FLT EXAMINER WERE ON AN EVALUATION FLT AFTER THE PLT'S FLT INSTRUCTOR HAD RECOMMENDED HIM FOR A CFI CHECK FLT. TO DEMONSTRATE A HOVERING AUTOROTATION, THE PLT HAD SELECTED AN AREA OF SOFT TURF THAT SLOPTED DOWNHILL. THE EXAMINER STATED THAT AFTER THE PLT CLOSED THE THROTTLE, THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED NORMALLY; HOWEVER, THE PLT APPLIED EXCESSIVE COLLECTIVE PITCH. THE EXAMINER REPORTED THAT AT THE MOMENT OF TOUCHDOWN, THE HELICOPTER RESPONDED TO COLLECTIVE INPUT, CAME OFF THE GROUND IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE, THEN TOUCHED DOWN ON THE TOES OF THE SKIDS ROLLED & OVER. REPORTEDLY, THE EXAMINER GRABBED FOR THE CYCLIC IN AN INSTINCTIVE EFFORT TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER, BUT MISSED THE HANDLE DUE TO THE UNIQUE CONTROL CONFIGURATION OF ACFT. THE PLT'S HELICOPTER TRAINING HAD BEEN IN 2 ROBINSON R22'S, THE NEWER OF WHICH WAS EQUIPPED WITH THE HEAVIER HP ROTOR BLADES. THE HP BLADES HAD A DIFFERENT AFFECT ON THE HELICOPTER'S RESPONSE & FLT CHARACTERISTICS DURING AUTOROTATIONS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.