# Accident 20010321006009A: Robsin R22BETA, Long Beach, CA, March 21, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: March 21, 2001, 11:45 local time - Place: Long Beach, CA - Airport: Long Beach - Daugherty Field - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Sfl Autorotation - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 33.8175° N, 118.1514° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8175&lon=-118.1514&mi=10 - Aircraft: N8492A, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8492A-2012-08-21) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA (registry code 7640110, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ROBSIN R22BETA - Reported engine: LYC O320B2C - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 406 total, 380 in this make and model, 64 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX01LA125](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA125) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010321006009A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WAS GIVING ADVANCED TRAINING TO STUDENT. DURING STRAIGHT IN AUTOROTATION PRACTICE THE DESCENT HAD DETERIORATED TO A POINT BEYOND RECOVERY. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR DID NOT REACT IN SUFFICIENT TIME TO ABORT THE AUTOROTATION AND INITIATE A GO AROUND. THE HELICOPTER REMAINED UPRIGHT, SLID ACROSS A GRASS AREA AND STOPPED. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE TAIL BOOM JUST AFT OF THE ANTI COLLISION LIGHT. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE TAIL BOOM, MAIN ROTOR BLADES AND THE MAIN ROTOR POWER TRAIN SYSTEM. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. (.4) DURING AN AUTOROTATION, THE PILOT MADE A HARD LANDING AND THE TAIL BOOM WAS SEVERED. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO CONDUCT PATTERN WORK, AND TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS TO PREPARE THE PRIVATE PILOT FOR HIS COMMERCIAL PILOT PRACTICAL TEST FLIGHT. DURING THE FLIGHT THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS ON THE FLIGHT CONTROLS, WITH THE CFI MONITORING THE FLIGHT. NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED WITH THE FIRST TWO TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS. DURING THE FIRST AUTOROTATION, THE CFI NOTED THAT THE STUDENT ALLOWED THE AIRSPEED TO FALL BELOW 60 KNOTS, AND THAT THE ROTOR RPM WAS MOVING OUTSIDE THE TOP OF THE GREEN ARC. HE INST RUCTED THE STUDENT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED AT 65 KNOTS UNTIL CLOSE TO THE GROUND, AND TO RAISE THE COLLECTIVE TO MAINTAIN ROTOR RPM INSIDE THE GREEN ARC. ON THE SECOND AUTOROTATION, THE CFI NOTED THAT THE STUDENT MAINTAINED ROTOR RPM INSIDE THE GREEN ARC, BUT LET THE AIRSPEED FALL BELOW 58 KNOTS. THE LOW ROTOR RPM WARNING HORN SOUNDED AND THE CAUTION LIGHT ILLUMINATED. DUE TO THE CLOSE PROXIMITY OF THE HELICOPTER TO THE GROUND, A FLARE FOR LANDING WAS INITIATED. THE CFI CAME UP ON THE CONTROLS AND NOTED THAT THE COLLECTIVE WAS HIGHER THAN NORMAL. PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN THE CFI APPLIED FORWARD PRESSURE ON THE CYCLIC TO MAINTAIN A LEVEL ATTITUDE AFTER TOUCHDOWN. THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD AND SLID ACROSS THE GROUND BEFORE COMING TO REST IN A GRASSY AREA NEXT TO THE HELIPAD. THE CFI NOTED THAT AFTER COMING TO A STOP HE ATTEMPTED TO MOVE THE ANTI-TORQUE PEDALS, BUT DID NOT RECEIVE A RESPONSE. ## 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 LAX01LA125](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA125), Mar 21, 2001: Robinson R22B (N8492A), Long Beach, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: Failure of the CFI to adequately monitor the flight, which resulted in a low airspeed autorotation and hard landing. ## Other reports on N8492A (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20040422006429A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040422006429A), Apr 22, 2004: Robsin R22BETA (N8492A), Long Beach, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) On April 22, 2004, at 1621 PDT, Robinson, R-22 beta, N8492A, was hovering on pad #1 at lgb airport facing approximately 270 degrees. The winds at the… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.