Probable cause
The student pilot’s failure to maintain control of the helicopter while hovering.
NTSB analysis
The student pilot reported that it was his first solo helicopter flight. He performed two takeoffs and landings with his flight instructor on board, and then the instructor got out of the helicopter. The student pilot took off, flew a normal traffic pattern, and made a successful full-stop landing. He taxied off the runway and set the helicopter back down on the taxiway. He lifted off the ground again into a hover and started to taxi to the ramp where the instructor was located. The instructor observed the student pilot lose control of the helicopter as he was doing a pedal turn to the left. The helicopter did a “massive yaw, pitch, and roll.” It hit the ground on its aft skids, bending the aft skid tube. It bounced up, rolled left in a nose-high attitude, and the tail rotor struck the ground. The operator reported that there was no mechanical malfunction with or failure of the helicopter.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN11CA351 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- May 20, 2011
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Lansing, Illinois
- Nearest airport
- Lansing Municipal Airport (IGQ)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA
- N-number
- N7197Z
- Category
- Helicopter
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.