Robinson R22 BETA N2560Q

Summary

On 29 April 2009 at about 18:52 local time, a Robinson R22 BETA registered N2560Q was involved in an accident near Harlingen, Texas, United States. One person was 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.

Date

29 April 2009 at 18:52

Classification

Accident

Location

Harlingen, Texas, United States

Coordinates

26.1900, -97.6897

Aircraft

Robinson R22 BETA

Registration

N2560Q

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Harlingen → Harlingen

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN09CA271

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's decision to leave the helicopter unattended with the engine running in gusty wind conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After landing the helicopter, the pilot set the cyclic and collective friction locks and left the helicopter "running" while he and his passenger disembarked the helicopter. After being left unattended for about two minutes, the helicopter began to lift-off and subsequently impacted terrain resulting in substantial damage. The pilot reported that the friction locks were still found engaged after the helicopter impacted the terrain. Winds in the vicinity of the accident were from the southeast at 21 gusting to 30 knots. According to the manufacturer, the cyclic and collective frictions are designed to allow the pilot to remove their hands from the controls to perform the cockpit portion of the preflight and post flight operations. A "caution" in the manufacturer's pilot operating handbook states, "Never leave helicopter flight controls unattended while engine is running." In addition the pilot operating handbook has a safety notice issued November 1984, which states, "Never exit helicopter with engine running. Several accidents have occurred when pilot momentarily left their helicopters unattended with the engine running and rotors turning. The collective can creep up, increasing both pitch and throttle, allowing the helicopter to lift off or roll out of control."

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.