Robinson R22 Beta accident near Parma, Idaho, November 3, 2007
On November 3, 2007 at about 4:40 pm local time, a Robinson R22 Beta (helicopter), registered N3189Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Parma, Idaho (Parma 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 student pilot's improper use of the flight controls while performing a hovering autorotation and the flight instructor's excessive remedial action which resulted 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
- November 3, 2007 · about 4:40 pm local time
- Place
- Parma, Idaho · Parma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 Beta · all R22 Betas on the register
- Registration
- N3189Z · registry record · serial 4105
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that he and his student were practicing hovering autorotations. After the student successfully performed two hovering autorotations from a height of 2 inches, the flight instructor had the student bring the helicopter to a 1-foot hover. During initiation of the maneuver from this altitude, the student pilot applied full right pedal and began to roll the throttle on, which "immediately resulted in substantial right yaw." The flight instructor corrected by adding left pedal, rolling the throttle off, and lowering the collective. These actions overcorrected for the right yaw and resulted in a left yaw. As the skids touched the ground, the flight instructor fully lowered the collective. The aft cross tube was bent, and the tail boom was wrinkled.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 416 hours in all; 364 in this make and model; 183 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
Dual student
- Flight time: 28 hours in all; 28 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-J2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EUL Caldwell ID
- Destination: 50S Parma ID
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 25°F (-4°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.
Other NTSB records under N3189Z the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.