Robinson R22 BETA N7189K

Summary

On 14 December 2000 at about 22:02 local time, a Robinson R22 BETA registered N7189K, operated by West Air Helicopters, was involved in an accident near North Las Vegas, Nevada, 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

14 December 2000 at 22:02

Classification

Accident

Location

North Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Coordinates

36.2196, -115.1705

Aircraft

Robinson R22 BETA

Registration

N7189K

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

West Air 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

LAX01LA058

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot-in-command's inadequate supervision of the second pilot and delay taking control of the aircraft and implementing remedial action. A factor in the accident was the second pilot's interference with the pilot-in-command's operation of the collective flight control.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the practice 180-degree autorotation landing, the helicopter touched down hard, the main rotor severed the tail boom, and the helicopter rolled on its side. The first pilot reported that, during four of six prior autorotations performed by the second pilot, it was necessary for the him to assume control of the helicopter and make power recoveries due to high landing flares, improper airspeed, and improper rotor rpm. During the seventh autorotation, the landing approach that resulted in the accident, the first pilot stated that the second pilot first let the main rotor rpm get too high, then too low, and then let airspeed get low. The first pilot again took control and applied engine power, but this time, as the ground approached more rapidly than before due to recovery from a low airspeed and low rpm condition, the second pilot "began to scream" and interfered with the first pilot's control by pulling up on the collective. The first pilot could not overpower him, the rotor rpm decayed further, and a hard landing resulted. The first pilot reported there were no mechanical problems with the helicopter. The second pilot reported that, as he initiated the final autorotation, the first pilot said "hold on, hold on," and the second pilot thought he was again taking the controls and relinquished them to him. As the helicopter continued the descent, the first pilot continued to say "hold on, hold on," and the second pilot became worried because the ground approached rapidly and the low rpm horn had been on for several seconds. When the second pilot realized they were going to crash and the first pilot wasn't doing anything to arrest the situation, he (the second pilot) took the controls and tried to flare and pulled full up collective to cushion the landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.