# Accident 20000714005639A: Robsin R22BETA, Lake Piru, CA, July 14, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 14, 2000, 09:45 local time
- Place: Lake Piru, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Sfl Autorotation
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.1904° N, 118.4898° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.1904&lon=-118.4898&mi=10
- Aircraft: N169CW, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N169CW-2017-08-07) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA (registry code 7640110, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBSIN R22BETA
- Reported engine: LYC O360*
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 4,750 total, 3,148 in this make and model, 260 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX00LA262](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA262) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000714005639A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) DURING THE FLARE AND LEVEL-OFF WHILE PRACTICING FULL TOUCHDOWN AUTOROTATIONS THE MAIN ROTOR SEVERED THE TAILBOOM. (.4) ON JULY 14, 2000, AT 0945 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A ROBINSON R-22 BETA, N169CW, LANDED HARD AND THE MAIN ROTOR SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM DURING AN AUTOROTATION TO THE GROUND NEAR LAKE PIRU, CALIFORNIA. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WERE NOT INJURED. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PURPOSE OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WAS A PREPARATION FOR A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR CHECK RIDE. THE HELICOPTER, OPERATED BY GROUP THREE AVIATION, WAS BEING FLOWN UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE LOCAL AREA FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT 0810. ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, THEY WERE PRACTICING FULL TOUCHDOWN AUTOROTATIONS AND HAD COMPLETED ONE PRIOR TO THIS ATTEMPT. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT IN THE PRIOR AUTOROTATION THE STUDENT HAD PLACED THE CYCLIC TOO FAR FORWARD, AND DURING THIS ATTEMPT THE CYCLIC WAS MOVED TOO FAR BACK, AND THE MAIN ROTOR CAME INTO CONTACT WITH THE TAILBOOM ASSEMBLY. ACCORDING TO THE OPERATO                              R, UPON GROUND CONTACT, THE TAIL BOOM LEVELED RESULTING IN TAIL BOOM CONTACT WITH THE MAIN ROTOR IN THE PLAIN OF ROTATION. THE TAIL BOOM WAS SEVERED UPON IMPACT WITH THE MAIN ROTOR.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX00LA262](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA262), Jul 14, 2000: Robinson R-22 Beta (N169CW), Lake Piru, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The improper use of the cyclic control by the pilot under instruction, and the flight instructor's lack of remedial action.

## Other reports on N169CW (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20110830022459A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110830022459A), Aug 30, 2011: Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA (N169CW), Dutch Harbor, AK, Substantial damage. According to the airman, he took off from Dutch Harbor Airport to fly back to the bering pacific ranch his employer and owenr of the aircraft. One hour into…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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