N2868HPiper PA-28-181

On October 1, 2021, about 0740 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-28-181 airplane, N2868H, and a Robinson Helicopter Company R22 helicopter, N412TL, were involved in a midair collision near Chandler, Arizona. The airplane sustained minor damage and the flight instructor and student pilot onboard were not injured. The flight instructor and student pilot onboard the helicopter were fatally injured, and the helicopter was destroyed. Both aircraft were operated as Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flights.

The flight instructor and student on board the airplane requested and received clearance from the tower controller to perform takeoffs and landings from runway 4L, remaining in the airport traffic pattern. After completing three touch-and-go landings, the tower controller instructed the airplane to switch to runway 4R and issued a frequency change. The instructor and student continued to perform touch-and-go takeoffs and landings from runway 4R, and the instructor recalled the controller requesting that the airplane extend their crosswind leg for helicopter traffic during one of their patterns.

During the accident approach, the airplane was cleared for landing behind a twin-engine airplane. The instructor stated that he scanned the area for traffic, and abeam the runway numbers on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, reduced engine power to idle to simulate a loss of engine power. On final approach for landing, the instructor took control of the airplane to demonstrate a slip and they heard and felt a loud bang. The instructor declared an emergency, thinking that the airplane had hit birds. During the landing flare, the flight instructor noticed the left wing continued to descend and used aileron inputs to keep the wing up. After the airplane touched down, it veered left and exited the runway before it came to a stop between runway 04R and 04L. Once the airplane came to a stop, he and the student pilot exited the airplane.

Witnesses reported that an airplane on final approach descended on top of a helicopter and impacted the helicopter’s main rotor blades. The helicopter descended, impacted terrain, and a post-impact fire ensued.

Review of air traffic control communications revealed that, about 0732, the accident airplane was advised to extend the upwind leg for helicopters operating in the parallel taxiway pattern; one of the pilots acknowledged. About 737:06, the accident helicopter was cleared to land on the taxiway. At 0737:52, the controller cleared the airplane to land behind the twin-engine airplane, and also stated that a helicopter was present at low level, ahead of the airplane to the right, proceeding southbound. The accident airplane acknowledged. At 0740:41, the instructor onboard the airplane declared an emergency following the collision.

Recorded Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) showed that both aircraft appeared to be on a base to final turn, with the airplane on the approach to runway 04R and the helicopter on the approach to taxiway C (parallel to and to the right of runway 04R). The data showed that the flight paths of the aircraft intersected about 0740:15 at an altitude of about 1,400 ft mean sea level (msl), as seen in Figure 1.

Figure 1. View of helicopter and airplane ADS-B flight track data

At the time of the accident, the airplane flight instructor had accumulated about 425 total hours of flight experience, of which 32 hours were as a flight instructor.

Examination of the airplane accident site revealed that the airplane came to rest upright on the dirt field between runways 04R and 04L, on a heading of about 345° magnetic. The helicopter impacted terrain about .5 mile southwest of the approach end of runway 04R.

Postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal evidence of any mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Flight control continuity was established from the cockpit to all primary flight controls. The airplane’s nose landing gear and tire, as well as the left main landing gear, had separated from the airplane and were located near the helicopter wreckage. Both tires were cut consistent with contact from the helicopter’s main rotor blades. A piece of the helicopter’s canopy was found lodged in the hat channel on the underside of the airplane.

The helicopter came to rest on its left side on a heading of about 053° magnetic, at an elevation of 1,236 ft msl. No visible ground scars were observed surrounding the wreckage. All major structural components of the helicopter were located within about 15 ft of the main wreckage.

Postaccident examination of the helicopter was limited due to impact damage and post-crash fire.

The Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner in Phoenix, Arizona, performed an autopsy of the helicopter flight instructor and student pilot. The flight instructor and student pilot’s cause of death was multiple blunt impact injuries.

The helicopter flight instructor toxicology testing performed at the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory found no drugs of abuse.

The helicopter student pilot’s toxicology testing performed by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory detected amphetamine at 7 ng/ml in the student pilot’s urine.

Amphetamine is a Schedule II controlled substance that stimulates the central nervous system. It is available by prescription for the treatment of attention deficit disorder and narcolepsy. It carries a boxed warning about its potential for abuse and has warnings about an increased risk of sudden death and the potential for mental health and behavioral changes. In some preparations, the prescription drug is metabolized to amphetamine; commonly marketed names include Adderall, Dexedrine, and Vyvanse. After a single 30 mg oral dose, early blood levels averaged 0.111 ug/ml and average blood levels in adults using the long-acting prescription orally for a week were about 0.065 ug/ml.