OpenAirDocs.org

20060215002829A

Accident · Substantial damage
Open the Markdown

FAA accident report · Robsin R22 BETA · El Monte, CA · February 15, 2006

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
February 15, 2006 · 10:07 local
Place
El Monte, CA
Airport
El Monte Airport
Phase of flight
Hovering
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N23617
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX06CA116
Reported as
Robsin R22BETA
Reported engine
Lycoming O320*
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
1,700 total1,550 in this make and model
N23617Registration cancelled Aug 22, 2006 · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETAS/N 2265 · Built 1993Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 BETAEngine modelLycoming 0-320 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) Accident occurred on asphalt tarmac at El Monte Airport at 1006 hrs local PST. Prior to flight, 20 gallons of fuel was uploaded. Pilot reports he was departing to lift the aircraft into a hover and it was light on the skids. As the aircraft balanced out, he continued to raise the collective. The nose of the aircraft lifted off first and he applied forward cyclic again to balance the aircraft. There was a strong wind with gusts. (Unsubstantiated by ATC). The aircraft again stabilized and he continued to raise the collective and the aircraft lifted off the ground. As the aircraft lifted to a 3 foot hover and clear of the ground, the aircraft was pushed back. The nose came up, the aircraft struck the left rear skid on the ground. Pilot reported he felt as if the aircraft was rotating backwards and to the left. In conversation with the air traffic control tower, there were no reported gusts of wind that morning.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON ASPHALT TARMAC AT EL MONTE AIRPORT AT 1006 HRS LOCAL PST. PRIOR TO FLIGHT, 20 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS UPLOADED. PILOT REPORTS HE WAS DEPARTING TO LIFT THE AIRCRAFT INTO A HOVER AND IT WAS LIGHT ON THE SKIDS. AS THE AIRCRAFT BALANCED OUT, HE CONTINUED TO RAISE THE COLLECTIVE. THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT LIFTED OFF FIRST AND HE APPLIED FORWARD CYCLIC AGAIN TO BALANCE THE AIRCRAFT. THERE WAS A STRONG WIND WITH GUSTS. (UNSUBSTANTIATED BY ATC). THE AIRCRAFT AGAIN STABILIZED AND HE CONTINUED TO RAISE THE COLLECTIVE AND THE AIRCRAFT LIFTED OFF THE GROUND. AS THE AIRCRAFT LIFTED TO A 3 FOOT HOVER AND CLEAR OF THE GROUND, THE AIRCRAFT WAS PUSHED BACK. THE NOSE CAME UP, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE LEFT REAR SKID ON THE GROUND. PILOT REPORTED HE FELT AS IF THE AIRCRAFT WAS ROTATING BACKWARDS AND TO THE LEFT. IN CONVERSATION WITH THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER, THERE WERE NO REPORTED GUSTS OF WIND THAT MORNING.

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 LAX06CA116Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportEl Monte, CAthe pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions, which resulted in the helicopter dynamically rolling over.Feb 15, 2006 · Substantial damage