What happened
On December 5, 2012, a Robinson R2-2 Beta helicopter, registration PT-HAX, departed from Jacarepaguá Airport (SBJR) for a local flight instruction session. The crew consisted of an instructor and a student. During the execution of a simulated emergency training maneuver, the student performed a hard landing in an area known as Fazenda dos Búfalos, located near the airport.
Following the impact, the instructor decided to take off again to return the aircraft to Jacarepaguá Airport. The aircraft sustained superficial damage, specifically to the left skid and the right windshield. The crew members remained uninjured.
The investigation
The investigation by SERIPA III revealed that the instructor did not notify Air Traffic Control of the incident at the time of occurrence, instead contacting authorities only to proceed with normal traffic and landing. Furthermore, after returning to the base, the instructor requested a maintenance inspection from the company's staff but failed to notify the investigation agency (SERIPA III) of the event. The owner of the flight school also failed to report the occurrence. Consequently, the initial investigation actions only commenced seven days after the incident.
Technical inspections confirmed the superficial damage to the left skid and the windshield. The investigation verified that the instructor held valid medical and technical certificates, and the student held a valid medical certificate. The aircraft was within weight and balance limits and possessed a valid airworthiness certificate.
Findings
- The hard landing was performed by the student during a simulated emergency training maneuver.
- The aircraft sustained superficial damage to the right windshield and the left skid.
- Failure to report the occurrence to the investigation agency by both the instructor and the flight school owner delayed the investigation process.
- The instructor's flight experience included 4,700 total hours, with 500 hours in the specific model.