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CEN11CA351

2011-05-20 · Lansing, Illinois, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport IGQ

Current FAA registration · N7197Z

Make / Model
ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22 BETA
Year of manufacture
2001 · 10 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING O-360 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20010816
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A9A0E1

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The student pilot’s failure to maintain control of the helicopter while hovering.

Factual narrative

The student pilot reported that it was his first solo helicopter flight. He performed two takeoffs and landings with his instructor on board, and then the instructor pilot got out of the helicopter. The student pilot took off, flew a normal traffic pattern, and made a successful full stop landing. He taxied off the runway and set the helicopter back down on the taxiway. He lifted off the ground again into a hover and started to taxi to the ramp where the instructor pilot was located. The instructor pilot reported that he observed the student pilot lose control of the helicopter as he was doing a pedal turn to the left. The helicopter did a “massive yaw, pitch, and roll.” It hit the ground on its aft skids, bending the aft skid tube. It bounced up, rolled left in a nose high attitude, and the tail rotor struck the ground. The operator reported that there was no mechanical malfunction or failure of the helicopter. The student pilot reported that it was his first solo helicopter flight. He performed two takeoffs and landings with his flight instructor on board, and then the instructor got out of the helicopter. The student pilot took off, flew a normal traffic pattern, and made a successful full-stop landing. He taxied off the runway and set the helicopter back down on the taxiway. He lifted off the ground again into a hover and started to taxi to the ramp where the instructor was located. The instructor observed the student pilot lose control of the helicopter as he was doing a pedal turn to the left. The helicopter did a “massive yaw, pitch, and roll.” It hit the ground on its aft skids, bending the aft skid tube. It bounced up, rolled left in a nose-high attitude, and the tail rotor struck the ground. The operator reported that there was no mechanical malfunction with or failure of the helicopter. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-(general)-Not attained/maintained - C
  • C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Incorrect action performance-Student pilot - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2011_CEN11CA351.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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