20070912020539A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robsin R22 BETA · Long Beach, CA · September 12, 2007

Date: September 12, 2007 · 08:51 local
Place: Long Beach, CA
Airport: Long Beach /Daugherty Field/
Phase of flight: Pwr On Vertical Ldng/Rtrcrft
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N965SH
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA07CA260
Reported as: Robsin R22BETA
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 305 total270 in this make and model114 in the last 90 days

N965SHRegistration cancelled Dec 3, 2009 · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETAS/N 3978 · Built 2005 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 BETA Engine modelLycoming O-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 pilot stated that the flight originated approximately 7-8 minutes prior to the accident. They had departed the ramp westbound, climbing left turn for mid-field crossing to pad four. The tower instructed them to pass behind a departing air carrier aircraft on runway 30. They completed two orbits waiting for the air carrier and then continued to pad four. The pilot stated that he was following on the controls as they shot the approach to pad four, terminating in a hover slightly beyond the pad. After establishing the hover they returned to the pad. The student attempted to land the aircraft several times. During the last attempt, the aircraft began an uncommanded turn to the right and the pilot shouted to the student 'I have the controls', at which time he heard the skids scraping the ground followed by a loud crash. The aircraft came to rest on the helipad on its right side.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT STATED THAT THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED APPROXIMATELY 7-8 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THEY HAD DEPARTED THE RAMP WESTBOUND, CLIMBING LEFT TURN FOR MID-FIELD CROSSING TO PAD FOUR. THE TOWER INSTRUCTED THEM TO PASS BEHIND A DEPARTING AIR CARRIER AIRCRAFT ON RUNWAY 30. THEY COMPLETED TWO ORBITS WAITING FOR THE AIR CARRIER AND THEN CONTINUED TO PAD FOUR. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS FOLLOWING ON THE CONTROLS AS THEY SHOT THE APPROACH TO PAD FOUR, TERMINATING IN A HOVER SLIGHTLY BEYOND THE PAD. AFTER ESTABLISHING THE HOVER THEY RETURNED TO THE PAD. THE STUDENT ATTEMPTED TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT SEVERAL TIMES. DURING THE LAST ATTEMPT, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN AN UNCOMMANDED TURN TO THE RIGHT AND THE PILOT SHOUTED TO THE STUDENT 'I HAVE THE CONTROLS', AT WHICH TIME HE HEARD THE SKIDS SCRAPING THE GROUND FOLLOWED BY A LOUD CRASH. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON THE HELIPAD ON ITS RIGHT SIDE.

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 SEA07CA260Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportLong Beach, CAThe student pilot's loss of directional control while hovering, and the instructor pilot's inadequate remedial action while attempting to take control of the helicopter.Sep 12, 2007 · Substantial damage