History of Flight
On January 8, 2009, at approximately 2052 mountain standard time, a Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II helicopter, registration N168SH, impacted terrain after a loss of control in cruise flight near West Valley City, Utah. The helicopter was operated under 14 CFR Part 91 and was registered to Majestic Helicopters LLC, Eagle Mountain, Utah. A flight plan was not filed, and night visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed for departure from Tooele, Utah, about 2037, with an intended destination of Bountiful, Utah. However, instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) were present at the accident site.
Both the flight instructor and the commercial pilot receiving instruction were seriously injured. The helicopter sustained substantial damage.
The flight began as an instrument flight rules (IFR) cross-country training flight. They departed Bountiful about 1650, flew to Provo, Utah, refueled, and filed an IFR flight plan to Wendover, Utah. After departure, the pilot used a view-limiting device (foggles) to Staco intersection, then removed them and continued toward Wendover. Due to turbulence and headwinds, they terminated the IFR flight plan about 10 miles from Wendover, reversed course, and returned to Bountiful under visual flight rules (VFR).
The instructor stated that on the return from Wendover, he was not instructing and was "just a passenger." They landed at Tooele, refueled, and departed VFR for Bountiful. At Tooele, the instructor reported winds light and variable, visibility 4 miles, and ceiling about 2,000 feet above ground level (6,321 feet msl). The planned route was northeast to Garfield Stack, then south along Highway 111, circling south around Salt Lake City Class B airspace, then north to Bountiful. While heading south on Highway 111 at about 6,100 feet msl, the cloud ceiling dropped, causing the helicopter to enter a cloud; visual reference of the ground was lost. The pilot became quickly disoriented and lost positive control. The instructor took the controls but could not regain control before impact.
The pilot reported that as the helicopter entered clouds, it "began to rotate almost immediately." He activated the emergency locator transmitter (ELT) switch before impact.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 24, held a commercial pilot certificate with helicopter rating and a second-class medical certificate issued January 9, 2008, with no limitations. He reported about 209 flight hours, with 144 hours in the same make/model. He had 44 hours of night flight experience and 39 hours of simulated instrument experience.
The instructor, age 23, held commercial pilot certificates with helicopter and instrument helicopter ratings, and flight instructor certificates with helicopter and instrument helicopter ratings. His third-class medical certificate, issued April 25, 2008, required corrective lenses. He did not provide flight experience details in the accident report; however, his medical application on that date indicated 294 total flight hours.
Aircraft Information
The 2007 Robinson R44 II, serial number 11658, was powered by a Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 engine. It was approved for day and night VFR operations. Total time on the airframe and engine at the accident was 445.4 hours. The last annual inspection was November 24, 2008, at 416.4 hours. The most recent maintenance, on November 29, 2008, involved removal and reinstallation of the artificial horizon after repair, including a new inclinometer bubble, replacement of roll gimbal bearings, and recalibration.
Meteorological Information
At 2053, weather at Salt Lake City International Airport (elevation 4,227 feet, 11 nautical miles north of the accident site) was reported as wind from 310 degrees at 7 knots; visibility 6 miles in light rain and mist; overcast ceiling at 1,500 feet; temperature 2°C; dew point -1°C; altimeter 30.03 inHg.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The helicopter came to rest on its left side on a southwesterly heading near the crest of a snow-covered hill east of 6600 South Highway 111. Rising terrain was to the south and west. An impact crater measured 15 feet by 6 feet, 8 to 12 inches deep, containing separated landing skid portions. No other ground scars were found.
The rotor head and mast remained attached to the transmission; both main rotor blades had extensive impact damage. The tail boom was attached but bent downward; the tail rotor gearbox and assembly were attached but damaged; tail rotor blades mostly separated; horizontal and vertical stabilizers separated and found near the wreckage. The fuselage bottom was severely deformed upward; landing skids separated; forward skid mounts compressed; aft mounts separated; engine remained attached; firewall impact damaged.
Additional Information
Robinson Safety Notice SN-18 states that flying in obscured visibility due to fog, snow, low ceiling, or dark night can be fatal, highlighting the helicopter's lower inherent stability and faster roll/pitch rates, and that loss of outside visual references can cause disorientation and wrong control inputs.
Safety Notice SN-26 notes that at night, pilots cannot see wires, cloud bottoms, or low scud/fog, and may inadvertently enter conditions and lose outside visual references and attitude control.
Both the pilot and instructor reported that the artificial horizon required repeated adjustments during the flight, creeping up 2 to 4 degrees in climb, requiring readjustment. Both stated they did not believe this issue was related to the accident and noted that although the helicopter was equipped for IFR training, it was not certified for flight in IMC.