History of Flight
The solo instructional flight originated from Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport (TJIG) in San Juan, Puerto Rico, around 0930 Atlantic standard time on January 10, 2015. The student pilot had arrived at the hangar about 0800, conducted a preflight inspection, and discussed weather and flight plans with the instructor. After an initial start-up at 0845 was deferred due to air traffic control (ATC) unable to accommodate right closed traffic patterns, the student resumed and departed at 0930. The helicopter remained in the traffic pattern for about an hour. The instructor noticed the helicopter was missing after failing to hear it pass by, and later learned from the tower controller that the helicopter had been seen spinning and impacting the water near Cataño Point.
Witnesses reported seeing white smoke from the back of the helicopter, followed by a series of right 360-degree turns with the fuselage vertical, climbing 100 to 200 feet. The rotor blades coned upward, with blade tips vertical. The helicopter then descended rightward in a spiral until impact with the water. A ground witness observed the helicopter swinging side to side like a pendulum. Another witness heard the engine shut down twice before the final descent.
ATC transmissions showed the helicopter performed multiple approaches via right downwind to Runway 9 between 0951 and 1023. At 1025, the pilot requested a left 360-turn, but was instructed to hold south. At 1031, communications were difficult due to wind. The last transmission was at 1032, after which the helicopter was reported down.
Injuries and Damage
The student pilot sustained fatal injuries. The helicopter was destroyed upon impact with the water.
Aircraft Information
The accident aircraft was a Robinson R-22 Beta (registration N348VH), powered by a Lycoming O-320 series engine with a two-blade rotor system. It had a governor for engine RPM control. The latest 100-hour inspection was completed on December 21, 2014. The Hobbs meter indicated 2,746.3 hours at the time of the accident.
Meteorological and ATC Information
At 1045, the weather at TJIG included scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, wind from 100 degrees true at 12 knots, temperature 27°C, dew point 22°C, and altimeter 30.16 inches Hg. Carburetor icing probability at glide power was indicated as serious.
Wreckage and Impact Examination
The helicopter was recovered from San Juan Bay at coordinates 18°26.53'N, 66°07.16'W. The tailboom was not initially recovered but later found washed ashore. Cabin crush patterns indicated a nose-down, right-side-down water entry. The cyclic was jammed neutral, collective jammed two-thirds up, and tail rotor pedals jammed with left forward, right aft. Throttle was at idle, mixture full rich, carburetor heat control jammed open about 70%. Engine examination revealed no preexisting mechanical anomalies; fuel and water were present in the carburetor and gascolator. Main rotor blades showed bending and a yellow scuff mark. Elastomeric teeter stops were missing, consistent with low rotor RPM blade flapping. Instrument warning lights for ALT, GOV OFF, and OIL P showed filament stretching, indicating illumination at impact.
Medical and Toxicological Information
An autopsy determined the cause of death as severe body trauma. Toxicological testing detected butalbital (1.24 µg/g in liver, 0.468 µg/g in muscle) and losartan in the liver.