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20020522013799A

Accident · No damage
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FAA accident report · Robsin R22 · Mammothlakes, CA · May 22, 2002

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
May 22, 2002 · 15:06 local
Place
Mammothlakes, CA
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
No damage
Aircraft
N7194J
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX02FA173
Reported as
Robsin R22
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
2
N7194JRegistration cancelled Aug 19, 2013 · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETAS/N 3198 · Built 2001Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 BETAEngine modelLycoming O&VO-360 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.

(-23) The Robinson R-22 helicopter departed mammoth lakes airport at approximately 1500 hours after taking on 20 gallons of fuel, topping off the tank. The AWOS weather was reported at 1501 hours as wind 290 degrees at 14 gusting to 19 knots, sky clear below 12000 with 10 miles visibility. Temperature 59 degrees f and dew point 16F. Density altitude calculated at 8700 feet. At 1605, a report was made by two hikers of the helicopter accident near lake mary road, approximately 8 miles southwest of mmh (mammoth lakes airport). The helicopter was resting on it's right side on a magnetic heading of 050 degrees in a heavily wooded area. Severed tree limbs and branches, which displayed fresh cuts, were located within a 40-foot radius of the helicopter. The tops of three trees approximately 100 feet high displayed severed branches. The outboard 36" of the main rotor blade and 42" of the other rotor blade were separated and came to rest 56 and 90 feet from the helicopter. The helicopter was recovered to plain parts, pleasant grove, CA. For further examination.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE ROBINSON R-22 HELICOPTER DEPARTED MAMMOTH LAKES AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 HOURS AFTER TAKING ON 20 GALLONS OF FUEL, TOPPING OFF THE TANK. THE AWOS WEATHER WAS REPORTED AT 1501 HOURS AS WIND 290 DEGREES AT 14 GUSTING TO 19 KNOTS, SKY CLEAR BELOW 12000 WITH 10 MILES VISIBILITY. TEMPERATURE 59 DEGREES F AND DEW POINT 16F. DENSITY ALTITUDE CALCULATED AT 8700 FEET. AT 1605, A REPORT WAS MADE BY TWO HIKERS OF THE HELICOPTER ACCIDENT NEAR LAKE MARY ROAD, APPROXIMATELY 8 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MMH (MAMMOTH LAKES AIRPORT). THE HELICOPTER WAS RESTING ON IT'S RIGHT SIDE ON A MAGNETIC HEADING OF 050 DEGREES IN A HEAVILY WOODED AREA. SEVERED TREE LIMBS AND BRANCHES, WHICH DISPLAYED FRESH CUTS, WERE LOCATED WITHIN A 40-FOOT RADIUS OF THE HELICOPTER. THE TOPS OF THREE TREES APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET HIGH DISPLAYED SEVERED BRANCHES. THE OUTBOARD 36" OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE AND 42" OF THE OTHER ROTOR BLADE WERE SEPARATED AND CAME TO REST 56 AND 90 FEET FROM THE HELICOPTER. THE HELICOPTER WAS RECOVERED TO PLAIN PARTS, PLEASANT GROVE, CA. FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION.

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 LAX02FA173Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportMammoth Lakes, CAThe pilot's poor decision to continue the flight into the rising mountainous terrain, and subsequent failure to maintain clearance with the trees. Contributing factors were rising mountainous terrain, the high density altitude, and the exceeded weight and…May 22, 2002 · Destroyed