Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Williams Gateway Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Mesa, Arizona 85212
Friday, July 15, 2005 9:00 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During a practice hovering autorotation the helicopter impacted the terrain and rolled over. On the third attempt at the hovering autorotation, the pilot undergoing instruction (PUI) and certified flight instructor (CFI) stabilized the helicopter in a 2-foot hover. The PUI counted down "three, two, and one" and entered the maneuver. He then increased the throttle, as opposed to retarding the throttle, and simultaneously added full right antitorque pedal. The helicopter then began to rapidly yaw to the right. The CFI then retarded the throttle and tried to overcome the PUI's right antitorque pedal input. At this point the helicopter was starting to descend, and the right yawing motion was beginning to slow down. As the helicopter descended towards terrain, the low rotor rpm horn and light went off, and the CFI lowered the collective in attempt to stop the descent. Shortly thereafter, the helicopter impacted the terrain, and rolled over on its right side facing 180 degrees from the initial starting point. The resulting damage was to the main rotor blades, tail rotor blades, and tail boom. The pilot stated that the helicopter and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the improper use of the throttle and antitorque pedal by the pilot undergoing instruction, and the inadequate supervision of the flight by the certified flight instructor.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/15/2005 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 900 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Mesa |
| Event State | ARIZONA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 85212 |
| Event Date Year | 2005 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 331828N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1113920W |
| Event Location Airport | Williams Gateway Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | IWA |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1382 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 903 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | IWA |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1382 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 30 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 35 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 13 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 300 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.86 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | SKC |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 18624 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 15 2005 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 27 2005 6:51AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | WP-SDL-FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N7514P |
| NTSB Number | LAX05CA232 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Robinson |
| Aircraft Model | R-22 Beta II |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 3486 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1370 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 1 2005 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 45.5 |
| Airframe Hours | 1915.8 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Eric A Spitzer LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Canoga Park |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 91304 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Sliver State Helicopters |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 5803 S. Sossaman Rd. #104 |
| Operator City | Mesa |
| Operator State | AZ |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 85212 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | -- |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | KIWA |
| Departure City | Mesa |
| Departure State | AZ |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | KIWA |
| Destination City | Mesa |
| Destination State | AZ |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 11 2005 6:04PM |
| User who most recently changed record | COOS |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |