Robinson R22 BETA N14HT

Summary

On 11 December 2022 at about 12:20 local time, a Robinson R22 BETA registered N14HT, operated by N7047X-R22 LLC, was involved in an accident near Gilgo-Oak Beach-Captree, New York, 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

11 December 2022 at 12:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Gilgo-Oak Beach-Captree, New York, United States

Coordinates

40.6478, -73.3333

Aircraft

Robinson R22 BETA

Registration

N14HT

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2006

Engines

1

Operator

N7047X-R22 LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Farmingdale → Farmingdale

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA23LA084

Nobody was injured.

The flight instructor’s inadequate remedial action while supervising the student pilot’s practice autorotation in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a dynamic rollover.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After practicing maneuvers, autorotative approaches, and landings in the local area, the flight instructor and the student pilot were practicing autorotative landings from a hover following a simulated loss of engine power, off-airport, and over sandy terrain. While hovering about 3 ft. above the ground, the student pilot reduced engine power to enter an autorotation. Between 1 and 2 ft. above the ground, a gust of wind struck the helicopter from the right that resulted in the helicopter rolling and drifting to the left. The flight instructor then took control of the helicopter, but the left roll and drift continued, the left skid impacted the ground, and the helicopter experienced a dynamic rollover onto its left side. During the rollover, the main rotor blades impacted the ground and the tailboom and main rotor mast pylon were substantially damaged. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.