Robinson R22

Full Narrative

On May 02, 2019, at 1538 eastern daylight time, a Robinson R22 Beta II, N7532R, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Lincoln Park, New Jersey. The flight instructor and student pilot were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight.
The flight instructor stated that the purpose of the flight was to perform an introductory demonstration flight with the student pilot. After departing and performing low-level maneuvers for about 30 minutes, the flight instructor opted to return to the airport to practice hovering. After hovering for about 10 minutes, they decided to taxi back to the parking area and end the flight. The instructor assumed authority of the controls and, with the helicopter in a stable hover about 5 to 10 ft above ground level, he was planning to taxi forward to the parking area. The flight instructor recalled that he heard the low rotor rpm warning horn sound and the helicopter simultaneously began a violent yaw to the right while the nose pitched up.
The instructor further stated that he immediately attempted to regain control by rolling the throttle to idle to arrest the yaw. Despite his efforts, the tail rotor struck the ground. The helicopter began to spin more rapidly and completed between four to seven full 360° rotations. The helicopter came to rest on its right side.
A postaccident examination of the helicopter by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed damage to the main rotor, fuselage, and tail boom. The inspector confirmed flight control continuity from the main rotor to the tail section. An examination of the engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunction or failures that would have precluded normal operation.