Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Logan-Cache Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Logan, Utah 44571
Saturday, December 15, 2012 13:45 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During the 180-degree autorotation, the student pilot maintained an airspeed of 65 knots, with rotor rpm in the green. As the student rolled out of the turn about 300 feet above ground level and at 70 knots, the rotor rpm continued to remain in the green. However, before the flare, the rotor rpm began to decay and failed to build as the flare was entered. The flight instructor then took control of the helicopter and immediately rolled on throttle to recover engine power and to maintain rotor rpm, but there was insufficient engine power to recover, and the low rotor rpm light and horn activated. Because power was not available for a full-power-on landing, the flight instructor initiated a full-down autorotation to a taxiway. During the landing, the helicopter skidded across and off the wet taxiway into loose gravel and mud before the left skid dug into the ground, resulting in the helicopter rolling over and coming to rest on its left side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to its welded frames, firewall, and tail cone. The flight instructor reported no preaccident mechanical or malfunctions or failures with the helicopter or flight controls that would have precluded normal operation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The flight instructor’s delayed remedial action and inadequate supervision during a practice autorotation, which resulted in a failure to maintain adequate main rotor rpm. Contributing to the accident was the wet landing surface.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/15/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1345 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Logan |
| Event State | UTAH |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 44571 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 414729N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1115106W |
| Event Location Airport | Logan-Cache Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | LGU |
| 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 | 4457 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1340 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | LGU |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 4457 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 5000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 1400 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 6 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -2 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.8 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| 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) | 31037 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Seattle FAA Regional Operation |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 16 2013 12:56PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N393LE |
| NTSB Number | WPR13CA068 |
| 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 | R22 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | BETA |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 4393 |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 11 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 27 |
| Airframe Hours | 3007 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Mountain Ridge Helicopters |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Logan |
| Aircraft Owner State | UT |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 44571 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Mountain Ridge Helicopters |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Logan |
| Operator State | UT |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 44571 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | LGU |
| Departure City | Logan |
| Departure State | UT |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1320 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | LGU |
| Destination City | Logan |
| Destination State | UT |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 10 2013 1:12PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coln |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 35 |
| Runway Length | 9010 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |