Accident Details
On May 3, 2024, about 1600 Pacific daylight time, a Robinson Helicopter R22, registration N4082J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Olympia, Washington. The helicopter was conducting a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The flight instructor sustained minor injuries, while the student pilot was uninjured.
According to the flight instructor, he and the student pilot were performing hover training at the Olympia Regional Airport (OLM). Prior to the accident, the instructor taxied the helicopter at approximately 50 feet above ground level and 50 knots from a practice area in the southwest corner of the airport toward another area near the northeast corner. As the helicopter approached the second practice area from the southwest, the instructor initiated a descending left pedal turn to realign the helicopter into the wind. During the turn, the helicopter was descending and still moving in a northerly direction.
When the helicopter was about 10 feet agl, the instructor began raising the collective to arrest the descent. The helicopter did not seem to respond and continued descending. Subsequently, the right skid struck the ground, the helicopter pitched forward, and the main rotor blades struck the ground and tailboom. The helicopter came to rest on its left side. Substantial damage was observed to the tailboom and drivetrain.
Aircraft Information and Weight
The flight instructor stated that the helicopter had a maximum gross weight limitation of 1,370 lbs. The weight at takeoff was 1,413 lbs, and the weight at the time of the accident was 1,382 lbs. He reported no observed engine rpm drop and estimated that he had applied about 85% of the available collective before ground impact.
Postaccident Examination
A postaccident examination of the airframe and a test run of the engine revealed no evidence of any pre-accident anomaly that would have precluded normal operation. Maintenance records indicated that the most recent maintenance was a 100-hour inspection performed on April 4, 2024.
The FAA Helicopter Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-21B) provides general guidance on the effects of higher gross weights and tail rotor thrust requirements during hover and maneuvering flight, including the characteristic that left turns increase torque and antitorque requirements.