Robinson R22 Beta accident near Boise, Idaho, August 27, 2005
On August 27, 2005 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Robinson R22 Beta (helicopter), registered N845SH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Boise, Idaho (Boise Air Terminal /Gowen Fld/ airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Inadequate communications between the certified flight instructor and student pilot, and the student pilot's delay in relinquishing controls resulting in a hard landing during a practice autorotation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 27, 2005 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Boise, Idaho · Boise Air Terminal /Gowen Fld/ · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 Beta · all R22 Betas on the register
- Registration
- N845SH · registry record · serial 3825
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instructor pilot reported that he and the student pilot were practicing power recovery autorotations at the Boise airport. During the tenth practice autorotation, with the student pilot on the controls, the instructor noted a lower than normal main rotor RPM (approximately 94 percent) and elected to take the controls in an effort to make the necessary inputs to recover from the maneuver. The instructor pilot reported that during the transition (approximately 60 feet agl), there was a "struggle" for the controls and corrective action was delayed resulting in a hard landing and substantial damage to the helicopter. The instructor pilot stated that he does not recall verbalizing the transfer of control to the student pilot.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 506 hours in all; 444 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-J2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BOI Boise ID
- Destination: BOI Boise ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.