Robinson R22 N980SM
25 June 2007 · Tucson, Arizona, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 25 June 2007 at about 20:25 local time, a Robinson R22 registered N980SM, operated by Voyager Helicopters, was involved in an accident near Tucson, Arizona, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 20:25
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Tucson, Arizona, United States
- Nearest airport
- Tucson Int'l (TUS)
- Coordinates
- 32.1158, -110.9408
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22
- Registration
- N980SM
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Voyager Helicopters
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Tucson → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- SEA07CA180
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Probable cause
The certified flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the practice autorotation. Contributing factors included the terrain drop off and the failure of the pilot undergoing instruction to maintain adequate rotor rpm.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The certified flight instructor (CFI) and private pilot undergoing instruction were conducting 180-degree autorotations in a helicopter. The accident happened on the third autorotation. The CFI stated that the entry and glide into the autorotation were uneventful. During the flare portion, sufficient rotor revolutions per minute (rpm) were not produced, and the low rotor rpm light and horn activated. The helicopter was leveled and a run on landing was performed. According to the CFI, the helicopter was not over the intended hard surface for landing. During the attempted run on landing, the helicopter ran over a 3-foot drop off and came to rest on its left side. The CFI did not report any mechanical malfunctions. The temperature at the time of the accident was reported as 39 degrees Celsius.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Robinson R22 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Apr 2007 | Robinson R22 BETA | Van Horn, Texas, United States | Silver State Helicopters | No injuries | - |
| 26 Feb 2007 | Robinson R22 BETA | Melbourne, Florida, United States | Silver State Helicopters | No injuries | - |
| 21 Apr 2007 | Robinson R22 BETA | Spanish Fork, Utah, United States | Utah Helicopter | No injuries | - |
| 9 Jul 2007 | Robinson R22 BETA | Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States | Rotorspins LLC | No injuries | - |
| 17 Jul 2007 | Robinson R22 | Bend, Oregon, United States | Leading Edge Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 20 Nov 2007 | Robinson R22 BETA | Ramona, California, United States | Silver State Helicopters | Serious injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Nov 2007 | Grumman American AA-5A | Benson, Arizona, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 23 May 2007 | Piper PA-24-250 | Winslow, Arizona, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 25 Sep 2007 | Piper PA-28-140 | Chandler, Arizona, United States | Brian K. Brooks | No injuries | - |
| 1 Jun 2007 | Cessna 340A | Chandler, Arizona, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 26 Feb 2007 | Waltz SONEX WAIEX | Phoenix, Arizona, United States | Wendel W. Waltz | No injuries | - |
| 3 Mar 2007 | Cessna 172S | Prescott, Arizona, United States | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott | No injuries | - |