Robinson R22 accident near Nephi, Utah, April 14, 2004
On April 14, 2004 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Robinson R22 (helicopter), registered N555UH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nephi, Utah (Nephi Municipal Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the flight instructor's failure to maintain control of the helicopter resulting in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 14, 2004 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Nephi, Utah · Nephi Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 · all R22s on the register
- Registration
- N555UH · registry record · serial 3550
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor said, while practicing 180 degree autorotations, and "at approximately 150 feet agl, [the] descent rate increase[d] dramatically.' The flight instructor stated that he attempted to recover and flare with aft cyclic and down collective. He then added full throttle and raised the collective, in an attempt to land in a "skid level attitude." The helicopter, however, struck the ground hard, collapsing both skids and allowing the main rotor blade to sever the tail boom. The helicopter rotated "three or four times" before coming to rest off of the left side of the runway. An examination of the helicopters systems revealed no anomalies.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 534 hours in all; 525 in this make and model; 196 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 470 as pilot in command; 259 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 109 hours in all; 60 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 25 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 170 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 17, 2004; 64 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-J2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVU Provo Municipal UT at 2:00 pm
- Destination: Nephi UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 4,700 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 3:35 pm from PVU, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.