19931030041249A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robsin R22ALPHA · Santa Rosa, CA · October 30, 1993

Date: October 30, 1993 · 19:31 local
Place: Santa Rosa, CA
Phase of flight: Pwr Off Run Land (Autorotation
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N8452Z
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX94LA033
Reported as: Robsin R22ALPHA
Reported engine: Lycoming O320B2C
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 161 total135 in this make and model40 in the last 90 days

N8452ZRegistration cancelled Feb 10, 1999 · Robinson Helicopter R22S/N 0375 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

While flying over party location. Large mylar balloon broke free. Rose up. Hit tail rotor which then separated.

As the FAA filed it

WHILE FLYING OVER PARTY LOCATION. LARGE MYLAR BALLOON BROKE FREE. ROSE UP. HIT TAIL ROTOR WHICH THEN SEPARATED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX94LA033Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSanta Rosa, CAthe separation of the tail rotor due to a collision with a mylar balloon and the subsequent hard landing during an autorotation. A factor in the accident was the dark night lighting conditions which limited the pilot's ability to see and avoid the balloon.Oct 31, 1993 · Substantial damage