Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II accident near Salt Lake City, Utah, April 16, 2022
On April 16, 2022 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, registered N3297Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (hover) near Salt Lake City, Utah (South Valley Regional Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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 failure to maintain lateral control and terrain clearance while hovering, and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action which resulted in a dynamic rollover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 16, 2022 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Salt Lake City, Utah · South Valley Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II
- Registration
- N3297Q · registry record · serial 10178
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor of the helicopter reported that, while conducting hover training about five ft above ground level, with the student pilot at the flight control, the helicopter began drifting to the right and the right skid contacted the ground. The helicopter subsequently exceeded the critical roll angle and experienced a dynamic rollover to the right. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tailboom. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter 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
- Dynamic rollover during maneuvering (hover) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, military
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,384 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 127.6 in the last 30 days; 1,349.5 as pilot in command; 166.6 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 9, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 3.6 hours in all; 0.5 in this make and model; 3.6 in the last 90 days; 3.6 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,195.9 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 24, 2022; 19.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 10-540-AE1A5 (piston); 4,195 hours total
- Operator: Utah Helicopter LLC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 6 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
- Observation at 1:35 pm from KU42
Weather report (METAR): KU42 161935Z AUTO 23006G17KT 180V250 10SM BKN100 17/05 A2977 RMK AO1 T01690045
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on July 6, 2022. 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 |
| 2 | Record of Phone Conversation (Student Pilot) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Damage Photo | PDF, 1 page | 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.