What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Following a landing in the sandy river bottom in the Piru practice area (santa clara river near Piru, CA) and during the ensuing lift-off, the pilot, concerned about a low flying fixed wing in the aea, was planning a 90 degree right pedal turn to check for for the traffic when he experienced a dynamic rollover to the right. The pilot found nothing but sand near the skids following the accident. This was not an instructional flight. (.4)on January 22, 2000, about 1315 hours pacific standard time, a Robinson R22B helicopter, N4072T, sustained substantial damage when it rolled over on departure from a dry riverbed near Piru, California. Group 3 aviation operated the rented helicopter under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. The certified flight instructor and student were not injured. The local instructional flight departed van nuys, California, about 1145. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The instructor stated he took his fiance up to introduce her to helicopter operations. After completing training they climbed to altitude to overview the river valley being used as a practice area, then descended back down. They observed an airpla NE flying low through the valley, so the helicopter landed in the riverbed to wait for the traffic to clear. After a few minutes the instructor prepared to liftoff. As he lifted off, the right skid stayed in contact with the ground and the helicopter continued to roll over to the right.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) FOLLOWING A LANDING IN THE SANDY RIVER BOTTOM IN THE PIRU PRACTICE AREA (SANTA CLARA RIVER NEAR PIRU, CA) AND DURING THE ENSUING LIFT-OFF, THE PILOT, CONCERNED ABOUT A LOW FLYING FIXED WING IN THE AEA, WAS PLANNING A 90 DEGREE RIGHT PEDAL TURN TO CHECK FOR FOR THE TRAFFIC WHEN HE EXPERIENCED A DYNAMIC ROLLOVER TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT FOUND NOTHING BUT SAND NEAR THE SKIDS FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT. THIS WAS NOT AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT. (.4)ON JANUARY 22, 2000, ABOUT 1315 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A ROBINSON R22B HELICOPTER, N4072T, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT ROLLED OVER ON DEPARTURE FROM A DRY RIVERBED NEAR PIRU, CALIFORNIA. GROUP 3 AVIATION OPERATED THE RENTED HELICOPTER UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT WERE NOT INJURED. THE LOCAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT DEPARTED VAN NUYS, CALIFORNIA, ABOUT 1145. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE INSTRUCTOR STATED HE TOOK HIS FIANCE UP TO INTRODUCE HER TO HELICOPTER OPERATIONS. AFTER COMPLETING TRAINING THEY CLIMBED TO ALTITUDE TO OVERVIEW THE RIVER VALLEY BEING USED AS A PRACTICE AREA, THEN DESCENDED BACK DOWN. THEY OBSERVED AN AIRPLA NE FLYING LOW THROUGH THE VALLEY, SO THE HELICOPTER LANDED IN THE RIVERBED TO WAIT FOR THE TRAFFIC TO CLEAR. AFTER A FEW MINUTES THE INSTRUCTOR PREPARED TO LIFTOFF. AS HE LIFTED OFF, THE RIGHT SKID STAYED IN CONTACT WITH THE GROUND AND THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED TO ROLL OVER TO THE RIGHT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N4072T · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.