Probable cause
The student pilot's failure to maintain rotor rpm during a pinnacle approach and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action and inadequate supervision of the flight. Contributing to the accident was the downdraft weather condition.
NTSB analysis
The flight instructor reported that he was flying an instructional cross-country flight with a student. They stopped for fuel at an airport near sea level and were returning to their home base. When they departed, the wind was from 300 degrees at 16 knots, gusting to 20 knots. They decided to do a pinnacle landing to a 4,060-foot mountain. As the student approached the peak for landing, a downdraft was encountered. The main rotor disk low rpm indicators activated, and the flight instructor took the controls and attempted to salvage the situation. The helicopter's landing skid impacted terrain, and the aircraft rolled twice down the mountain. The flight instructor and student exited with minor injuries.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for LAX08CA185 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Jun 17, 2008
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Philomath, Oregon
- Highest injury
- Minor
- Minor injuries
- 2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Robinson R-22 Beta
- N-number
- N4000Y
- 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.