Robinson R22 N712U

Summary

On 8 July 2013 at about 14:20 local time, a Robinson R22 registered N712U, operated by Upper Limit Aviation Inc, was involved in an accident near Alta, Utah, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 July 2013 at 14:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Alta, Utah, United States

Nearest airport

Heber City (36U)

Coordinates

40.5236, -111.7053

Aircraft

Robinson R22

Registration

N712U

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2004

Engines

1

Operator

Upper Limit Aviation Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Heber City → Salt Lake City

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR13LA315

2 people had minor injuries.

The flight instructor's decision to follow a route over mountainous terrain in conditions that exceeded the helicopter’s ability to maintain terrain clearance.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight instructor reported that the outbound training flight on the morning of the accident followed roads through mountain passes. For the return flight, the flight instructor decided to take a more direct route and fly over 11,000-foot-high mountainous peaks. The pilot undergoing instruction was controlling the helicopter during the climb, which was uneventful. As the helicopter crested the peak, the pilot initiated a descent and then began to raise the collective to reduce the descent rate; however, as he did so, the rotor speed began to decay, and the low rotor rpm warning sounded. The flight instructor took over the flight controls but was unable to arrest the descent, and he subsequently chose to perform a forced landing to rocky terrain. The helicopter struck the ground, tumbled, and was destroyed; both occupants sustained serious injuries. The helicopter was operating at a density altitude equal to or just above the helicopter's maximum operating density altitude of 14,000 feet. At the altitude of the accident site, the helicopter was not capable of hovering in-ground-effect; therefore, it was unlikely that a landing could have been successfully accomplished in the rocky terrain. Further, after cresting the peak, the helicopter likely encountered downdrafts due to the mountainous terrain surrounding the accident site, which further degraded the helicopter's performance. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.