Robinson R22 BETA II N221DS
19 November 2008 · Erie, Colorado, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 19 November 2008 at about 16:45 local time, a Robinson R22 BETA II registered N221DS was involved in an accident near Erie, Colorado, 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 16:45
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Erie, Colorado, United States
- Nearest airport
- Erie Municipal Airport (EIK)
- Coordinates
- 40.0100, -105.0478
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 BETA II
- Registration
- N221DS
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Erie → Erie
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- CEN09CA067
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Probable cause
the pilot's improper flare during the practice autorotation which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing factors were the flight instructor's delayed remedial action and inadequate supervision.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot, who was also a certified helicopter flight instructor, was demonstrating a 180-degree autorotation to the flight instructor as part of a flight review. While on final glide approximately 100 feet above ground level (agl), the landing checks were complete to include: rotor RPM in the green arc, airspeed at 60 knots, and the landing skids aligned with runway. Approximately 60 feet agl, the rotor RPM was at the bottom of the green arc, and the flight instructor expected the pilot to initiate a flare; however, the flare was "very mild, if none, with little reduction in aircraft speed and rate of descent." Subsequently, the flight instructor "hesitated" in taking the helicopter controls and the helicopter landed hard and skidded down the runway. During the hard landing, the main rotor blades severed the tail boom. Examination of the airframe revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operations.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Robinson R22 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Mar 2008 | Robinson R22 BETA | Horseshoe Bay, Texas, United States | Kent Leighton | Minor injuries | - |
| 25 Jul 2008 | Robinson R22 | Rosharon, Texas, United States | William T. Skinner | No injuries | - |
| 8 Jan 2008 | Robinson R22 BETA | North Palm Bch, Florida, United States | Silver State Helicopters LLC | Serious injuries | - |
| 18 Mar 2008 | Robinson R22 BETA | Las Vegas, New Mexico, United States | Premier Helicopters | No injuries | - |
| 10 May 2008 | Robinson R22 MARINE | Austin, Texas, United States | Boat Pix | No injuries | - |
| 16 Oct 2008 | Robinson R22 | Dryden, New York, United States | Earl Lee Small | Fatal | 1 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Jan 2008 | Cessna 152 | Loveland, Colorado, United States | Colorado Contrails | No injuries | - |
| 27 Jul 2008 | Curtiss-Wright 12Q | Erie, Colorado, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 28 Apr 2008 | Mooney M20E | Erie, Colorado, United States | Facey Enterprises, Inc | No injuries | - |
| 8 May 2008 | Cessna 182 | Black Hawk, Colorado, United States | Winkmaggair, LLC | Fatal | 1 |
| 24 Jul 2008 | Airbus A319-114 | Denver, Colorado, United States | Centre Air Canada | No injuries | - |
| 23 Jul 2008 | Beechcraft 35-C33A | Longmont, Colorado, United States | Brian Higley | No injuries | - |