Accident Overview
On November 18, 2022, at about 1027 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 172M, registration N88E, and a Robinson R44, registration N4050P, collided over runway 30R at North Las Vegas Airport (VGT) in Las Vegas, Nevada. Both aircraft were conducting instructional flights under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight instructor and student pilot on the Cessna, and the student pilot on the Robinson, were not injured.
Traffic Pattern and Operations
At the time of the accident, two helicopters, a Cessna airplane, and a Diamond airplane were operating in the airport’s right-hand traffic pattern. One helicopter was alternating turns in the taxiway pattern with the accident helicopter and was waiting on the east ramp. The two airplanes were using right traffic for runway 30R. Taxiway Papa, parallel to the north side of runway 30R, and runway 30R were under the control of the LC2 controller. The Cessna had completed three approaches to runway 30R (one full-stop and two touch-and-go landings), and the accident helicopter had completed four full-stop landings to taxiway Papa before the collision.
ATC Communications
At 10:24, the tower controller cleared the Cessna for the option to land on runway 30R; the pilot read back the instructions. At 10:25, the controller cleared the accident helicopter for takeoff from taxiway Papa and subsequently cleared the student pilot for the option back to taxiway Papa; the pilot acknowledged. At 10:26, the controller advised the Cessna of helicopter traffic in a close right base for taxiway Papa; the Cessna pilot replied they were looking for the helicopter. At 10:27, the controller instructed the accident helicopter to, when able, make a right turn on taxiway Kilo, and that landing on the east ramp was at the pilot’s own risk. The helicopter pilot responded “Las Vegas tower, five zero papa.” The controller repeated the instruction, but the pilot did not acknowledge.
Pilot and Witness Accounts
The student pilot of the accident helicopter, on a solo instructional flight, reported that he departed taxiway Papa, flew the right-hand traffic pattern, and was instructed to approach taxiway Papa. However, he mistakenly flew his approach to runway 30R and terminated in a hover over the runway. Video surveillance showed the helicopter’s nose oriented in the landing direction; the student pilot reported being unaware of an airplane approaching to land. The airplane collided with the aft section of the skids; the helicopter pitched up, rotated left about 90°, and landed upright on the runway.
The flight instructor in the Cessna stated that on the downwind leg she had brief visual contact with the helicopter, which appeared to be operating on taxiway Papa. During the turn onto base leg, the right wing blocked her view of the runway. While turning onto final, she was assisting the student with airspeed and glideslope while managing flaps. She then saw the helicopter hovering over runway 30R, about 100–300 ft past the runway numbers, not on taxiway Papa. She believed it was too late to abort and elected to touch down underneath the helicopter. The airplane’s left wing collided with the helicopter’s skids; the fuselage rotated left, the wing struck the ground causing substantial damage to the spar, and the right wing struck the runway before the airplane came to an abrupt stop.
The controller stated that after instructing the helicopter to turn right onto taxiway Kilo, she did not hear a readback but thought it might be a critical stage of flight. After hearing the helicopter’s call sign, she repeated the instruction and observed the helicopter hovering over taxiway Papa, drifting slowly toward a right turn on Kilo. She then walked across the tower to check other aircraft and, upon returning, saw the helicopter had made a left turn onto the runway instead of a right turn into the ramp. She watched the Cessna crank its wheels left to avoid the helicopter, then the helicopter landed on the runway in front of the Cessna. The airplane tipped on its wing and appeared as if it might go upside down before turning upright again.