Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA accident near Salt Lake City, Utah, April 6, 2011
On April 6, 2011 at about 6:10 pm local time, a Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, registered N268SH, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern downwind) near Salt Lake City, Utah (South Valley Regional Arpt airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's inadvertent action of pulling out the engine's mixture control lever to idle cutoff that resulted in a complete loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 6, 2011 · about 6:10 pm local time
- Place
- Salt Lake City, Utah · South Valley Regional Arpt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA · all R22 BETAs on the register
- Registration
- N268SH · no longer on the register · serial 4233
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor said he and his student were flying the helicopter in the traffic pattern on the downwind leg. The student pilot was flying and the instructor told him to reduce the power to begin the descent for the base turn to final. The student reduced the power by approximately 1 inch of manifold pressure. The instructor then took control of the helicopter and reduced the power by an additional 6 or 7 inches of manifold pressure. He said that the student pulled the mixture control out to the idle cutoff position, which resulted in a loss of engine power. The student had intended to apply carburetor heat and instead inadvertently moved the mixture control, which was located next to the carburetor heat. The instructor turned the helicopter 180 degrees into the wind and simultaneously entered an autorotation from 300 feet above the ground. His selected landing site turned out to be a school yard with children present. He maneuvered the helicopter to a new landing site, but subsequently landed hard. The landing skids were spread and the main rotor cut off the tail boom.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during approach (VFR pattern downwind) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Autorotation Hard landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Student pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › (general) › (general) › Contributed to outcome
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine controls › Mixture control › Unintentional use/operation
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 433 hours in all; 322 in this make and model; 210 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 210 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 26 hours in all; 26 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,354 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 23, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-J2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Upper Limit Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: SLC Salt Lake City UT at 5:45 pm
- Destination: U42 Salt Lake City UT
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 6:00 pm from U42
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 1 |
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 N268SH 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.