Robinson R44 N297SU

Summary

On 30 September 2022 at about 19:10 local time, a Robinson R44 registered N297SU was involved in an accident near Cedar City, Utah, 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.

Date

30 September 2022 at 19:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Cedar City, Utah, United States

Coordinates

37.6013, -113.1336

Aircraft

Robinson R44

Registration

N297SU

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2017

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Cedar City → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR22LA363

Nobody was injured.

A partial loss of engine power due to a damaged cylinder intake valve and subsequent collision with terrain during an autorotation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight instructor and student had just completed a series of uneventful practice maneuvers and decided to perform off-airport landings at a location that the instructor had used before. After a series of reconnaissance orbits, low passes, and power checks over the landing area and, with the helicopter operating normally, the instructor decided to proceed with a landing. The student was maneuvering at low altitude while attempting to land when they felt a jolt, and the helicopter yawed to the left. The instructor took over the controls, and attempted to maneuver away from trees but the helicopter began to vibrate and yawed aggressively to the left with an accompanying reduction in engine speed. The helicopter began to descend with the low rotor rpm horn sounding, and the instructor performed an autorotation, during which the main rotor blade cut through the tail. Postaccident examination revealed a damaged engine intake valve that would have resulted in a partial loss of engine power. The helicopter’s response during the event was consistent with a loss of engine power, although due to the altitude and environmental conditions, the helicopter was being operated at the upper limits of its performance envelope.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.