19970512009889A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robsin R22 · Santa Margarita, CA · May 12, 1997

Date: May 12, 1997 · 18:30 local
Place: Santa Margarita, CA
Phase of flight: Practice Training Manuevers
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N83795
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX97LA178
Reported as: Robsin R22
Reported engine: Lycoming O320B2C
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 313 total177 in this make and model21 in the last 90 days

N83795Registration cancelled Jul 16, 2003 · Robinson Helicopter R22S/N 0324 · Built 1983 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

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.

Helicopter lost control on takeof and crashed. (.4)the density altitude was approximately 4,000 feet when the helicopter took off and departed the area. A witness reported that, moments later, the helicopter made a high speed flyby in the opposite direction at 2 or 3 feet above ground level after which the pilot made a climbing, steep turn at a near vertical bank angle. The helicopter then descended in the banked attitude until it impacted the terrain. The pilot reported that he recalled hearing the low rotor RPM warning horn before impact and that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

HELICOPTER LOST CONTROL ON TAKEOF AND CRASHED. (.4)THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS APPROXIMATELY 4,000 FEET WHEN THE HELICOPTER TOOK OFF AND DEPARTED THE AREA. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT, MOMENTS LATER, THE HELICOPTER MADE A HIGH SPEED FLYBY IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AT 2 OR 3 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL AFTER WHICH THE PILOT MADE A CLIMBING, STEEP TURN AT A NEAR VERTICAL BANK ANGLE. THE HELICOPTER THEN DESCENDED IN THE BANKED ATTITUDE UNTIL IT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE RECALLED HEARING THE LOW ROTOR RPM WARNING HORN BEFORE IMPACT AND THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE AIRCRAFT.

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 LAX97LA178Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSanta Margarita, CAThe failure of the pilot to maintain adequate rotor rpm during a low pass maneuvering flight resulting in loss of control. High density altitude was a factor in the accident.May 12, 1997 · Substantial damage