Robinson R22 accident near Logan, Utah, December 15, 2012
On December 15, 2012 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Robinson R22 (helicopter), registered N393LE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Logan, Utah (Logan-Cache 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 delayed remedial action and inadequate supervision during a practice autorotation, which resulted in a failure to maintain adequate main rotor rpm. Contributing to the accident was the wet landing surface.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 15, 2012 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Logan, Utah · Logan-Cache Airport · 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 R22s on the register
- Registration
- N393LE · no longer on the register · serial 4393
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the 180-degree autorotation, the student pilot maintained an airspeed of 65 knots, with rotor rpm in the green. As the student rolled out of the turn about 300 feet above ground level and at 70 knots, the rotor rpm continued to remain in the green. However, before the flare, the rotor rpm began to decay and failed to build as the flare was entered. The flight instructor then took control of the helicopter and immediately rolled on throttle to recover engine power and to maintain rotor rpm, but there was insufficient engine power to recover, and the low rotor rpm light and horn activated. Because power was not available for a full-power-on landing, the flight instructor initiated a full-down autorotation to a taxiway. During the landing, the helicopter skidded across and off the wet taxiway into loose gravel and mud before the left skid dug into the ground, resulting in the helicopter rolling over and coming to rest on its left side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to its welded frames, firewall, and tail cone. The flight instructor reported no preaccident mechanical or malfunctions or failures with the helicopter or flight controls that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Autorotation Loss of lift defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Prop/rotor parameters › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Wet › Contributed to outcome
Flight instructor
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 651 hours in all; 589 in this make and model; 129 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days; 590 as pilot in command; 416 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 7, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 62 hours in all; 62 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 7 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,007 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 11, 2012; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LGU Logan UT at 8:20 pm
- Destination: LGU Logan UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 9,010 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; scat at 1,400 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 8:40 pm from LGU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N393LE 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.