Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA accident near Prescott, Arizona, November 15, 2014
On November 15, 2014 at about 11:00 pm local time, a 2005 Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, registered N32VH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Prescott, Arizona. 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
The certified flight instructor's failure to maintain helicopter control during the autorotation which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent roll over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 15, 2014 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Prescott, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA II, built 2005 · all R22 BETAs on the register
- Registration
- N32VH · no longer on the register · serial 3930
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an instructional flight, the certified flight instructor (CFI) was demonstrating a 180-degree autorotation for a pilot rated student. The CFI positioned the helicopter on a downwind, abeam the landing site, about 800 feet above ground and at about 70 knots when he started a right turning autorotation. After turning about 80 degrees the pilot rated student told the CFI that it appeared they were going to land short on the approach. The CFI increased the helicopter's turn rate; however, near the end of the turn, he noticed the rotor RPM was starting to decay and he applied down collective. As the helicopter was rolling out of the turn, it appeared that the helicopter was descending faster than moving forward. The CFI began the cyclic flare to reduce the descent; however, the helicopter impacted the ground hard and rolled onto its left side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tailboom and fuselage structure. The CFI reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations.
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 Hard landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,382 hours in all; 702 in this make and model; 238 in the last 90 days; 88 in the last 30 days; 1,333 as pilot in command; 1,052 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 28, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 218 hours in all; 91 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 163 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 5, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,085 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 31, 2014; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 SERIES (piston); 1,085 hours total
- Operator: Guidance Academy, LLC
The flight
- Departed from: PRC Prescott AZ at 10:30 pm
- Destination: PRC Prescott AZ
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 21 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from PRC, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
1 document, released by the NTSB on May 18, 2015. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.