Accident Overview
On September 23, 2017, about 1702 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28R-201 airplane (N1881H) and a Robinson R22 helicopter (N404TB) collided in mid-air over the runway at Clearwater Air Park (CLW), Clearwater, Florida. Both aircraft sustained substantial damage. The private pilot aboard the airplane received minor injuries, and the flight instructor and a pilot receiving instruction aboard the helicopter also received minor injuries. Both aircraft were owned and operated by Tampa Bay Aviation. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. Both flights were operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, and no flight plans had been filed.
Flight Histories
The helicopter, an instructional flight, had departed CLW at 1630. The airplane, a personal flight, had departed CLW at 1600. According to the flight instructor, the purpose of the helicopter flight was a flight review of the pilot receiving instruction. He indicated that he had never flown with that pilot before, and both were wearing headsets. The pilot receiving instruction proceeded to the hover practice area and executed multiple practice maneuvers. All radio calls were made during every turn while in the airport traffic pattern. The instructor performed all radio calls during the first approach; the pilot receiving instruction made the calls during the second takeoff and approach. Prior to every turn, they scanned for traffic.
During a final approach, the instructor noticed a fixed-wing airplane on the base leg for runway 16, announced on CTAF that they were using runway 34, heard an unintelligible response, and observed the airplane veer west. The instructor allowed the pilot receiving instruction to continue the approach to runway 34, which terminated with a hover, touchdown, and liftoff. The flight returned to the pattern for runway 34. When one mile from the runway, the pilot receiving instruction turned onto final and executed a steep approach. The instructor told him to extend to the segmented circle. The helicopter came to a hover about 15 ft over runway 34, when a loud sound was heard, and the helicopter was pushed forward, spun, and impacted the ground hard, coming to rest upright.
Witness Accounts
According to the airplane pilot, he was operating on CTAF and between his first and second radio transmission heard a heavy buzzing sound like a helicopter rotor with the words "34" barely distinguishable. He scanned for traffic, declared being on downwind, turned to base, and decreased power. About 2 seconds before impact, he saw the helicopter hovering "immobile" about 10 ft above the runway, tail pointed toward him. He tried to avoid it, then heard a loud sound, and the airplane inverted and slid on its canopy. After stopping, he exited.
Another pilot/witness approaching CLW about two miles west heard the helicopter's radio call on one-mile final at 500 ft. He flew over and saw the accident outcome. He did not hear the airplane pilot announce intentions. He diverted to another airport due to the accident.
Communication and Surveillance
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined both aircraft and found substantial damage: the airplane sustained fuselage damage and left wing separation; the helicopter's tubed airframe was buckled. Examination of radio communication systems in both aircraft revealed no anomalies.
A surveillance video showed the helicopter descending and slowing to a stationary hover over the runway 34 threshold. Just as it slowed, the airplane entered the frame from the left about 2 seconds before collision. The airplane's main landing gear appeared on or just above the ground, then it entered a slight climb as it continued down the runway. The helicopter was oriented nose down the runway while the airplane approached from behind. Over the next 2 seconds, the airplane climbed to roughly the helicopter's height before its left wing struck the aft side. The helicopter yawed left and descended to the ground; the airplane rolled left and impacted inverted.
See-and-Avoid Reference
According to 14 CFR 91.113, when weather permits, regardless of instrument or visual flight rules, vigilance must be maintained to see and avoid other aircraft. FAA AC 90-48D, in effect at the time, stated that the see-and-avoid concept requires vigilance at all times by each pilot.