Robinson R22 BETA N4082J

Summary

On 3 May 2024 at about 23:00 local time, a Robinson R22 BETA registered N4082J was involved in an accident near Olympia, Washington, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 May 2024 at 23:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Olympia, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Olympia Regional Airport (OLM)

Coordinates

46.9700, -122.9000

Aircraft

Robinson R22 BETA

Registration

N4082J

Category

Helicopter

Year built

1991

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR24LA139

1 person had minor injuries.

The flight instructor’s delayed action to arrest the descending, left pedal turn while maneuvering for a low-altitude hover with the helicopter near the maximum gross weight limitation, which resulted in an impact with the ground and a dynamic rollover.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight instructor taxied the helicopter from one side of the airport to the other during an instructional flight with a student while the helicopter’s loading was near (about 12 lbs over) its maximum gross weight. As the helicopter approached the intended hover practice area, the instructor began a descending, left pedal turn to align the helicopter into the wind. During the descending turn and while about 10 ft above ground level (agl), the instructor began to add collective to arrest the helicopter’s descent; however, the helicopter continued to descend and impacted the ground with the toe of its right skid, leading to a dynamic rollover. No evidence of pre-accident mechanical malfunction or failure was revealed during a postaccident examination of the helicopter. Thus, given the helicopter’s high gross weight and left turn during the descent (both of which require more antitorque thrust and reduce the amount of engine power available to produce lift), it is likely that the instructor’s action to raise the collective was delayed, which resulted in an inadequate amount of time and altitude for the increased collective to be able to arrest the helicopter’s descent before impact with the ground.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.