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20021223034439A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Robsin R22 BETA · Dolansprings, AZ · December 23, 2002

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
December 23, 2002 · 11:37 local
Place
Dolansprings, AZ
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N888KB
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX03FA054
Reported as
Robsin R22BETA
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
2
N888KBRegistration cancelled May 20, 2013 · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETAS/N 3072 · Built 2000Airframe 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.

(.19) On December 23, 2002, at 1137 mountain standard time, a Robinson R22 beta, N888KB, collided with power lines and impacted desert terrain near dolan springs, Arizona. The helicopter was operated by the pilot/owner under 14 CFR part 91. The private pilot and one passenger sustained fatal injuries. The helicopter was destroyed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from las vegas, Nevada, at an unknown time. According to a witness who was driving southbound on I-93, at milepost 38.5, about 30 miles north of kingman, Arizona, he saw the helicopter flying over his lane southbound along the highway when it struck power lines. Power company linemen reported that wires/cables are required to be a minimum of 30 feet above ground level. (-23) witness statements indicated that the aircraft was south bound on hwy 93. Eye witness reported that the aircraft was flying over the median between the north and south bound lanes at about 20 to 30 feet above the hwy. the helicopter struck power lines (crossing hwy 93 east to west) at approximately 25 to 30 feet from the ground. As a result of the wire strike, the wr eckage was scattered for about 200 yards in a southerly direction. The main portion of the wreckage appeared to hit the ground initially 100 yards from the power lines and came to rest approximately 15 feet west of the hwy in a barbed wire fence. Part of the cross tube was found about 200 yards south of the power lines.

As the FAA filed it

(.19) ON DECEMBER 23, 2002, AT 1137 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A ROBINSON R22 BETA, N888KB, COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES AND IMPACTED DESERT TERRAIN NEAR DOLAN SPRINGS, ARIZONA. THE HELICOPTER WAS OPERATED BY THE PILOT/OWNER UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE HELICOPTER WAS DESTROYED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, AT AN UNKNOWN TIME. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS WHO WAS DRIVING SOUTHBOUND ON I-93, AT MILEPOST 38.5, ABOUT 30 MILES NORTH OF KINGMAN, ARIZONA, HE SAW THE HELICOPTER FLYING OVER HIS LANE SOUTHBOUND ALONG THE HIGHWAY WHEN IT STRUCK POWER LINES. POWER COMPANY LINEMEN REPORTED THAT WIRES/CABLES ARE REQUIRED TO BE A MINIMUM OF 30 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. (-23) WITNESS STATEMENTS INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS SOUTH BOUND ON HWY 93. EYE WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING OVER THE MEDIAN BETWEEN THE NORTH AND SOUTH BOUND LANES AT ABOUT 20 TO 30 FEET ABOVE THE HWY. THE HELICOPTER STRUCK POWER LINES (CROSSING HWY 93 EAST TO WEST) AT APPROXIMATELY 25 TO 30 FEET FROM THE GROUND. AS A RESULT OF THE WIRE STRIKE, THE WR ECKAGE WAS SCATTERED FOR ABOUT 200 YARDS IN A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION. THE MAIN PORTION OF THE WRECKAGE APPEARED TO HIT THE GROUND INITIALLY 100 YARDS FROM THE POWER LINES AND CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 15 FEET WEST OF THE HWY IN A BARBED WIRE FENCE. PART OF THE CROSS TUBE WAS FOUND ABOUT 200 YARDS SOUTH OF THE POWER LINES.

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 LAX03FA054Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportDolan Springs, AZthe pilot's inadequate visual lookout and failure to maintain clearance from power lines. A factor was the pilot's decision to conduct cruise flight at a low altitude.Dec 23, 2002 · Destroyed

Other reports on N888KB · 1

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

Accident 20000727039819AOther Ground Ops · Phoenix, AZ(-23)During solo cross country flight student pilot landed in a desert area used as a practice landing site. After touchdown the aircraft remained on the ground for about a minute at idle. After applying power for takeoff the aircraft began to shake…Jul 27, 2000 · Substantial damage