20050528012979A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Robsin R44 · Lucerne Valley, CA · May 28, 2005

Date: May 28, 2005
Place: Lucerne Valley, CA
Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N7015Q
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX05FA189
Reported as: Robsin R44
Reported engine: Lycoming O540*
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 77 total77 in this make and model21 in the last 90 days

N7015QRegistration cancelled Jun 13, 2008 · Robinson Helicopter R44S/N 0462 · Built 1998 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 Engine modelLycoming 0-540 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) While filming an off road race (kartek 300) and flying low level, the helicopter crossed the race course on a south bound heading. Shortly after crossing course helicopter was attempting to reverse course back towards the north in a right hand turn helicopter pitched nose down then leveled off just before impact with terrain. Upon impact helicopter burst into flames. Accident happened near anderson dry lake bed off camp rock road, Lucerne Valley, CA at 1150 PDT. The helicopter was destroyed by post impact fire. The three occupants were transported by san bernardino country sheriff's helicopter to hospital (arrowhead regional medical center) with burns.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) WHILE FILMING AN OFF ROAD RACE (KARTEK 300) AND FLYING LOW LEVEL, THE HELICOPTER CROSSED THE RACE COURSE ON A SOUTH BOUND HEADING. SHORTLY AFTER CROSSING COURSE HELICOPTER WAS ATTEMPTING TO REVERSE COURSE BACK TOWARDS THE NORTH IN A RIGHT HAND TURN HELICOPTER PITCHED NOSE DOWN THEN LEVELED OFF JUST BEFORE IMPACT WITH TERRAIN. UPON IMPACT HELICOPTER BURST INTO FLAMES. ACCIDENT HAPPENED NEAR ANDERSON DRY LAKE BED OFF CAMP ROCK ROAD, LUCERNE VALLEY, CA AT 1150 PDT. THE HELICOPTER WAS DESTROYED BY POST IMPACT FIRE. THE THREE OCCUPANTS WERE TRANSPORTED BY SAN BERNARDINO COUNTRY SHERIFF'S HELICOPTER TO HOSPITAL (ARROWHEAD REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER) WITH BURNS.

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 LAX05FA189Accident · Serious injuriesField investigationFinal reportLucerne Valley, CAthe pilot's failure to maintain adequate main rotor rpm and directional control while maneuvering at low altitude. Contributing factors in the accident were the helicopter's gross weight in excess of the maximum hover out of ground effect limit, a high…May 28, 2005 · Destroyed