HONOLULU, HI, USA
N900AB
ROBINSON R22B
ACCORDING TO STATEMENTS FROM BOTH THE INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT, THE FLIGHT WAS PRACTICING PINNACLE APPROACHES IN A MOUNTAINOUS AREA. THE INSTRUCTOR SAID HE PERFORMED A HIGH RECONNAISSANCE OF THE SPOT, AND THEN THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED A DOWN DRAFT DURING THE FINAL APPROACH TO THE PEAK. THE INSTRUCTOR SAID HE PERFORMED A RIGHT PEDDLE TURN TO FLY DOWN THE SLOPE OVER A STREAM. THE LOW ROTOR HORN CAME ON AND THE INSTRUCTOR SAID HE ATTEMPTED TO GET THE ROTOR RPM BACK INTO THE GREEN ARC BUT BEFORE HIS CONTROL INPUTS WERE EFFECTIVE THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE COLLIDED WITH TREES ON THE STREAM BANK AND THE HELICOPTER CRASHED INTO THE WATER.
THE IMPROPER USE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS BY THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT ND THE FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ROTOR RPM.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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