No fatalities

28 Jan 2018: ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22 Beta — Homstead, FL

Homstead, FL, United States

On 28 Jan 2018, a ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22 Beta was involved in an aviation accident near Homstead, FL. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s diverted attention to his phone while maneuvering at a low altitude, which resulted in collision with terrain. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A helicopter rolled onto its left side after the pilot looked at his phone during low-altitude maneuvering, causing the left skid to strike the ground.

Incident Overview

A pilot reported that while performing low-altitude maneuvers over a field, he looked down at his phone inside the cockpit. When he looked back outside, the helicopter's left skid had already struck the ground. The aircraft subsequently rolled onto its left side.

Damage

The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, tail boom, and rotor systems as a result of the rollover and ground contact.

Pilot Statement

The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. The incident was attributed to the momentary distraction caused by looking at the phone.

Contributing factors

PilotAltitude — Not attained/maintained