On August 13, 2015, a ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22 BETA BETA operated by SILVERHAWK AVIATION ACADEMY LLC was involved in an aviation accident near Caldwell, ID. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The helicopter flight instructor's delayed remedial action during an autorotation resulting in a loss of control and impact with terrain. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 13 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
During a simulated autorotation training flight, a helicopter impacted the ground and rolled over after the low rotor RPM horn sounded. The flight instructor reported a loud thumping noise and violent cyclic shake. The helicopter sustained substantial damage.
Accident Details
A helicopter conducting a simulated right-turn 180-degree autorotation impacted the ground and rolled over during the maneuver. According to the flight instructor, the low rotor RPM horn activated at approximately 200 feet above ground level (AGL). Both the instructor and the student pilot attempted a recovery. Prior to impact, the instructor heard a loud thumping noise and felt a violent shake in the cyclic control. The instructor stated that he chose to level the helicopter before it struck the terrain and subsequently rolled over.
Damage Assessment
The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor system, fuselage, and tail boom.
Pilot Report
The flight instructor reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies before the flight that would have prevented normal operation.
Contributing factors
Instructor/check pilotProp/rotor parameters — Not attained/maintained
Related events
Same aircraft family
15 Aug 2026 — ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22 BETA
13 Aug 2026 — ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II (Collin Johnson)
An X-AIR HAWK ultralight crashed in Chonburi, Thailand, killing the pilot and injuring a passenger. The accident was caused by deteriorated wing fabric and…
A Challenger II Special ultralight aircraft (U-B23) landed off-runway at Pai Airport, Mae Hong Son, on September 17, 2024, due to a gust of wind. No injuries…
The Polish aviation safety authority is investigating a serious incident involving an AT-3R100 aircraft that occurred on September 2, 2024. The investigation…
A SZD-48-3 glider suffered damage when its left wing struck a ground obstacle during a low final approach at EPWK on June 20, 2025. The pilot was uninjured.
A 39-year-old skydiver died after a hard landing near Leszno on May 1, 2026. The PKBWL preliminary report indicates the fatal impact resulted from a late,…
A student pilot crashed an SZD-50-3 Puchacz glider into the airfield fence during a solo training flight on June 6, 2026. The pilot was uninjured, but the…