What happened
On 16 January 1999, a Robinson R22B, registration ZS-HAN, was conducting a training flight at FAWB. The flight involved an instructor and a student pilot performing various maneuvers, including circuits, landings, and emergency procedures.
Following an initial period of training where the student successfully initiated an autorotation, a second training segment commenced. During this second maneuver, the instructor took control of the aircraft at approximately 400 feet to guide the student through the process of closing the carburetor heat valve and managing the controls. As the aircraft descended to roughly 60 feet above the ground, the pilot attempted to flare the helicopter. However, upon applying throttle, the engine failed to respond as expected, leading to a hard landing.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events during the autorotation maneuver and the engine's performance during the flare. The pilot reported that while the engine RPM appeared to increase after the aircraft had already made contact with the ground, the lack of immediate power during the critical flare phase prevented a smooth touchdown. There were 0 fatalities and 0 injuries resulting from the incident.
Findings
- The accident occurred during a routine instructional flight involving circuits and emergency maneuvers.
- The primary factor in the hard landing was that the pilot either misjudged the aircraft's altitude during the autorotation or failed to apply the throttle with sufficient timing to arrest the descent.