Student helicopter pilot started engine without instructor present and had throttle in full open pos...

Attributes
ACN	339801
Time
Date	199606
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 39n
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Robinson R22
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 1950 flight time type : 1750
ASRS Report	339801
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

My student is commercial/instrument sel fixed wing pilot with approximately 500 hours airplane time. I have given her over 25 hours instruction in a robinson R22 helicopter over the past 3 months. On the above stated time and date my student did her normal preflight inspection and proceeded to start and warm up the helicopter as planned for our dual flight (she has not yet soloed). When she started the engine, the throttle was in the full open position instead of the correct fully closed position as the checklist clearly states. She then proceeded to engage the elec clutch which subsequently lead to an engine and rotor overspd while remaining on the ground. The owner of the helicopter and I were in the office which is approximately 100 ft away from the pad where the helicopter was started. When we heard the scream of the engine/rotor, the owner ran out to the ship and closed the throttle. The student did not realize she had turned the throttle the wrong way even though it is placarded on the collective next to the throttle. I had supervised this student on her first 15 starts and she had successfully performed at least 10-15 on her own. The rotor/engine was oversped for 20-30 seconds which requires a major inspection which is currently being performed. I do not believe that a CFI is required during start up as long as the aircraft is not in-flight. I would appreciate any information you have on this subject.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STUDENT HELI PLT STARTED ENG WITHOUT INSTRUCTOR PRESENT AND HAD THROTTLE IN FULL OPEN POS RESULTING IN SERIOUS ENG OVERSPD. THE HELI OWNER HEARD THE ENG SCREAM FROM HIS OFFICE, RAN OUT AND CLOSED THE THROTTLE.

Narrative: MY STUDENT IS COMMERCIAL/INST SEL FIXED WING PLT WITH APPROX 500 HRS AIRPLANE TIME. I HAVE GIVEN HER OVER 25 HRS INSTRUCTION IN A ROBINSON R22 HELI OVER THE PAST 3 MONTHS. ON THE ABOVE STATED TIME AND DATE MY STUDENT DID HER NORMAL PREFLT INSPECTION AND PROCEEDED TO START AND WARM UP THE HELI AS PLANNED FOR OUR DUAL FLT (SHE HAS NOT YET SOLOED). WHEN SHE STARTED THE ENG, THE THROTTLE WAS IN THE FULL OPEN POS INSTEAD OF THE CORRECT FULLY CLOSED POS AS THE CHKLIST CLRLY STATES. SHE THEN PROCEEDED TO ENGAGE THE ELEC CLUTCH WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY LEAD TO AN ENG AND ROTOR OVERSPD WHILE REMAINING ON THE GND. THE OWNER OF THE HELI AND I WERE IN THE OFFICE WHICH IS APPROX 100 FT AWAY FROM THE PAD WHERE THE HELI WAS STARTED. WHEN WE HEARD THE SCREAM OF THE ENG/ROTOR, THE OWNER RAN OUT TO THE SHIP AND CLOSED THE THROTTLE. THE STUDENT DID NOT REALIZE SHE HAD TURNED THE THROTTLE THE WRONG WAY EVEN THOUGH IT IS PLACARDED ON THE COLLECTIVE NEXT TO THE THROTTLE. I HAD SUPERVISED THIS STUDENT ON HER FIRST 15 STARTS AND SHE HAD SUCCESSFULLY PERFORMED AT LEAST 10-15 ON HER OWN. THE ROTOR/ENG WAS OVERSPED FOR 20-30 SECONDS WHICH REQUIRES A MAJOR INSPECTION WHICH IS CURRENTLY BEING PERFORMED. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT A CFI IS REQUIRED DURING START UP AS LONG AS THE ACFT IS NOT INFLT. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY INFO YOU HAVE ON THIS SUBJECT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Student helicopter pilot started engine without instructor present and had throttle in full open position resulting in serious engine overspd. The helicopter owner heard the engine scream from his office, ran out and closed the throttle.