ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22
Farmingdale, NY — March 23, 2018
Event Information
| Date | March 23, 2018 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | GAA18CA229 |
| Event ID | 20180424X95146 |
| Location | Farmingdale, NY |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 40.72944, -73.41417 |
| Airport | REPUBLIC |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | ROBINSON HELICOPTER |
| Model | R22 |
| Category | HELI |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 2 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The student pilot’s rapid lowering of the collective, which resulted in a hard landing.
Full Narrative
The flight instructor reported that, during the landing from a hover, he and the student pilot were both on the controls, with the student manipulating the controls. He added that, when the helicopter was about 8" above the ground, the student lowered the collective rapidly. Subsequently, the helicopter landed hard, the student immediately raised the collective to re-establish a hover, and the instructor took the flight controls and landed without further incident.
A post-accident examination revealed the helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail boom.
The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.