What happened
On March 27, 2016, at 15:35 UTC, a Robinson R22 Beta helicopter, registration PR-JRJ, was conducting flight instruction at the Campo de Marte aerodrome in São Paulo, Brazil. The flight, operated by Escola de Aviação Civil do ABC Ltda, was performing landing and hovering exercises in a designated training area known as "Run-up." During the maneuver, the aircraft experienced a loss of control and collided with the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe. Both the instructor and the student pilot on board were unharmed.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the aircraft and found no evidence of mechanical failure in the engine, main rotor, tail rotor, flight controls, or aerodynamic surfaces. The investigation focused on the instructional processes and flight documentation. It was discovered that the flight school was using an outdated manual intended for fixed-wing aircraft (MCA 58-3) rather than the appropriate helicopter training manual.
Furthermore, the investigation revealed inconsistencies in the student's flight training records. While the records were intended to track progress through specific proficiency levels, the documentation showed irregular entries, such as a regression in instruction levels, making it difficult to accurately assess the student's development. The investigation also noted that while a course coordinator existed, there was no dedicated space in the flight logs for providing specific guidance to instructors.
Findings
During the flight, the instructor maintained control of the collective and pedals, while the student pilot controlled the cyclic. The investigation concluded that the instructor overestimated the student pilot's ability to safely execute the proposed maneuver. Due to the student's lack of experience, the errors made during the exercise exceeded the instructor's ability to intervene effectively, leading to the loss of control.
Contributing factors included:
- Inadequate instructional processes and flight training supervision
- Lack of standardized flight log entries
- Organizational deficiencies in training documentation
- The student pilot's limited experience