# Accident 20160317007549A: Robinson Helicopter Company R22, Riverside, CA, March 17, 2016

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 17, 2016, 09:08 local time
- Place: Riverside, CA
- Airport: Riverside Municipal
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
- Operator: 2CIS
- Location: 33.9519° N, 117.4450° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.9519&lon=-117.4450&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9076U, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9076U-2019-10-05) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R22 (registry code 7640102, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R22
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 18 total, 18 in this make and model, 18 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA16CA151](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA151) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160317007549A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

THIS WAS THE STUDENT PILOT?S FIRST SOLO WHICH WAS SUPERVISED BY HIS FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR.  THE STUDENT WAS MAKING LEFT TRAFFIC TO THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 16 AT RIVERSIDE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (RAL).  ON THE FIRST TRAFFIC PATTERN AFTER BEING RELEASED BY CFI FOR HIS FIRST SOLO, STUDENT AND CFI BOTH STATED THAT HE WAS TOO HIGH FOR LANDING AND ELECTED TO GO-AROUND.  ON THE SECOND TRAFFIC PATTERN, STUDENT CAME TO A HOOVER OVER RUNWAY 16 APPROXIMATELY 5 FEET ABOVE THE TOUCHDOWN ZONE.  AT THAT POINT THE STUDENT LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDING TOO QUICKLY AND A HARD TOUCHDOWN RESULTED.  AT THIS POINT THE STUDENT RAISED THE COLLECTIVE CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO BEGIN A RIGHT TURN BECAUSE NOT ENOUGH PEDAL WAS INPUTTED BY STUDENT TO COUNTER ACT THE INCREASED COLLECTIVE.  THE HELICOPTER BEGAN A RIGHT TURN AND CONTINUED IN A RIGHT TURN FOR APPROXIMATELY 720 DEGREES AT WHICH POINT THE TAIL ROTOR/BOOM STRUCK THE GROUND.  THIS RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT ROTATING ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE CAUSING THE RIGHT LANDING SKID TO STRIKE THE GROUND AND BREAK AWAY.  ADDITIONALLY, BOTH OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE GROUND.  THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A REST AT WHICH POINT THE STUDENT BROUGHT THE THROTTLE TO IDLE AND PULL THE MIXTURE CONTROL IN ORDER TO SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE.  AFTER THE EVENT, THE CFI TURNED OFF THE FUEL AND BATTERY.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB GAA16CA151](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA151), Mar 17, 2016: Robinson Helicopter R22 (N9076U), Riverside, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot's incorrect action performance by not applying sufficient pressure to the right anti-torque pedal, resulting in an uncontrollable left yaw, and ground impact.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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