N302CH

Substantial
None

Robinson R22 BetaS/N: 3996

Accident Details

Date
Friday, May 25, 2007
NTSB Number
NYC07CA128
Location
Nashua, NH
Event ID
20070718X00959
Coordinates
42.781665, -71.514724
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
2
Total Aboard
2

Probable Cause and Findings

The flight instructor's inadvertent entry into a vortex ring state (settling with power). Factors to the accident was the tailwind.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N302CH
Make
ROBINSON
Serial Number
3996
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
2005
Model / ICAO
R22 BetaR22
Aircraft Type
Rotorcraft
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
HODGDON CHARLES J DBA
Address
33 BLUEBERRY LN
Status
Deregistered
City
PETERBOROUGH
State / Zip Code
NH 03458-1649
Country
United States

Analysis

According to the flight instructor, the student pilot and flight instructor were repositioning a Robinson R22 Beta to practice "quick stops." The student pilot was air taxiing the helicopter downwind at 30 feet agl, when she began to slow the helicopter. The flight instructor then took over the flight controls and attempted to do "a left pedal turn" so he could point the helicopter into the wind for landing; however the helicopter did not respond and started to descend. The flight instructor then lowered the collective "slightly" and increased engine power "slightly" to stop the descent without result. He again tried to raise the collective "slightly," but the helicopter continued to descend. As the helicopter was "getting pretty low," the flight instructor turned the helicopter to point the skids in the direction of travel. The front of the skids then made contact with the ground, dug in, and the helicopter nosed over. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the helicopter were reported by the flight instructor.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# NYC07CA128