What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 3, 2015, about 10:30 pacific daylight time, a Robinson R-22 beta, N4003S, collided with terrain during an VFR approach to landing at the San Bernardino International Airport in San Bernardino, California during a solo student cross flight. The student pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 91. The student pilot sustained minor injuries (head laceration); the helicopter sustained substantial damage from impact forces. The personal / solo flight departed riverside airport at APPROXIMATELY10:30 hours for a cross country flight from riverside airport (ral) to french valley airport (F70), to San Bernardino International Airport (sbd), returning to riverside airport (ral), riverside California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
The student pilot stated that he had flown from riverside airport (ral) to french valley (F70) and completed approximately 6 take-offs and landings at french valley airport. The student pilot then stated he flew to San Bernardino airport from french valley airport. The ATIS information x-ray was in effect. The winds were calm. The student pilot overshot the intended land zone (approximately 100 feet), while attempting to land on taxiway foxtrot south of runway 6 at San Bernardino International Airport (sbd). The student pilot stated he overshot the intended landing zone and the aircraft made contact with the soft ground, the aircraft made a rapid turn and came to rest facing in a northwesterly direction. The aircraft was substantially damaged when the helicopter made contact with the ground. The student pilot stated he was not sure what caused the accident.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 3, 2015, ABOUT 10:30 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A ROBINSON R-22 BETA, N4003S, COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN DURING AN VFR APPROACH TO LANDING AT THE SAN BERNARDINO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA DURING A SOLO STUDENT CROSS FLIGHT. THE STUDENT PILOT WAS OPERATING THE AIRPLANE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91. THE STUDENT PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES (HEAD LACERATION); THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE FROM IMPACT FORCES. THE PERSONAL / SOLO FLIGHT DEPARTED RIVERSIDE AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY10:30 HOURS FOR A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT FROM RIVERSIDE AIRPORT (RAL) TO FRENCH VALLEY AIRPORT (F70), TO SAN BERNARDINO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (SBD), RETURNING TO RIVERSIDE AIRPORT (RAL), RIVERSIDE CALIFORNIA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED.
THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD FLOWN FROM RIVERSIDE AIRPORT (RAL) TO FRENCH VALLEY (F70) AND COMPLETED APPROXIMATELY 6 TAKE-OFFS AND LANDINGS AT FRENCH VALLEY AIRPORT. THE STUDENT PILOT THEN STATED HE FLEW TO SAN BERNARDINO AIRPORT FROM FRENCH VALLEY AIRPORT. THE ATIS INFORMATION X-RAY WAS IN EFFECT. THE WINDS WERE CALM. THE STUDENT PILOT OVERSHOT THE INTENDED LAND ZONE (APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET), WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON TAXIWAY FOXTROT SOUTH OF RUNWAY 6 AT SAN BERNARDINO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (SBD). THE STUDENT PILOT STATED HE OVERSHOT THE INTENDED LANDING ZONE AND THE AIRCRAFT MADE CONTACT WITH THE SOFT GROUND, THE AIRCRAFT MADE A RAPID TURN AND CAME TO REST FACING IN A NORTHWESTERLY DIRECTION. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN THE HELICOPTER MADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. THE STUDENT PILOT STATED HE WAS NOT SURE WHAT CAUSED THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.