On February 22, 2005, a Robinson Helicopter Company R22 (registration N780SH) operated by Silver State Helicopters was involved in an aviation accident near Spanish Fork, UT. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the student's failure to maintain control of the helicopter. Contributing factors were high airspeed, high rate of descent, the instructor's delay in taking remedial action, and the instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
During simulated autorotation practice, a flight instructor and student pilot experienced a hard landing with a bounce after the instructor took control due to high airspeed and descent rate, resulting in substantial damage.
Accident Sequence
A flight instructor and a private certificated student pilot were practicing simulated autorotation maneuvers. The first two maneuvers were initiated from an altitude of 800 feet above ground level (AGL). The third simulated autorotation was set up from 700 feet AGL. The instructor advised the student to tighten the turn to compensate for the lower altitude. Approximately 90 degrees into the turn, the instructor observed that the airspeed was high. The student began the landing flare, at which point the helicopter began to shudder. The instructor then assumed control of the helicopter but was unable to arrest the descent rate or reduce the airspeed. The instructor applied forward cyclic, and the helicopter contacted the runway, bouncing approximately 10 feet into the air.
Damage
The helicopter sustained substantial damage as a result of the ground impact.