20000818041089A

Accident · No damage

FAA accident report · Robsin R22 BETA · Watsonville, CA · August 18, 2000

Date: August 18, 2000 · 17:55 local
Place: Watsonville, CA
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N8313Z
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX00FA306
Reported as: Robsin R22BETA
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2

N8313ZRegistration cancelled Feb 10, 2001 · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETAS/N 2456 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 BETA

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.

(-23)The main rotor head separated during cruise flight. After separation, the main rotor blades penetrated the cockpit. The helicopter then began an uncontrolled descent into a plowed field and burned. Wreckage debris was found 470 feet norht of the main wreckage. Main rotors sysyem (including both blades and main rotor head, all still attached) was found 220 feet from the main wreckage.

As the FAA filed it

(-23)THE MAIN ROTOR HEAD SEPARATED DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. AFTER SEPARATION, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES PENETRATED THE COCKPIT. THE HELICOPTER THEN BEGAN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT INTO A PLOWED FIELD AND BURNED. WRECKAGE DEBRIS WAS FOUND 470 FEET NORHT OF THE MAIN WRECKAGE. MAIN ROTORS SYSYEM (INCLUDING BOTH BLADES AND MAIN ROTOR HEAD, ALL STILL ATTACHED) WAS FOUND 220 FEET FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE.

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 LAX00FA306Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportWatsonville, CAThe divergence of the main rotor from its normal plane of rotation for an undetermined reason, which resulted in mast bumping and rotor contact with the fuselage.Aug 19, 2000 · Destroyed