20161229019539A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Robinson R44 II · Mt Baldy, CA · December 29, 2016

Date: December 29, 2016 · 11:50 local
Place: Mt Baldy, CA
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N324RS
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR17LA043
Reported as: Robinson R44 II
People aboard: 4
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 3
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 480 total300 in this make and model4 in the last 90 days

N324RSRegistration cancelled Dec 20, 2017 · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 10067 · Built 2003 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 II Engine modelLycoming IO-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.

N324RS approached Mt Baldy at elevation 9844 feet,and 4 pax weather clear no wind, approached from west end of Mt Baldy, got a low rotor warning light, lowered collective and rolled throttle, N342RS rapidly started to descend, pilot applied full left rudder and crash landed on mt. Baldy.

As the FAA filed it

N324RS APPROACHED MT BALDY AT ELEVATION 9844 FEET,AND 4 PAX WEATHER CLEAR NO WIND, APPROACHED FROM WEST END OF MT BALDY, GOT A LOW ROTOR WARNING LIGHT, LOWERED COLLECTIVE AND ROLLED THROTTLE, N342RS RAPIDLY STARTED TO DESCEND, PILOT APPLIED FULL LEFT RUDDER AND CRASH LANDED ON MT. BALDY.

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 WPR17LA043Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportMt. Baldy, CAThe pilot's failure to maintain main rotor speed during a low orbiting approach over a confined mountainous area. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to attempt to land in an area that did not allow for a safe exit path under conditions near…Dec 29, 2016 · Substantial damage