# Accident 20180130001719A: Robinson Helicopter R44, Newport Beach, CA, January 30, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 30, 2018, 13:50 local time
- Place: Newport Beach, CA
- Airport: John Wayne Airport-Orange Coun
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.6542° N, 117.8714° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6542&lon=-117.8714&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7530R, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7530R-2021-05-19) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 (registry code 7640120, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540F1 SERIE (registry code 41531, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540f1-serie) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER R44
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-540F1 SERIE
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 3
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 195 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR18FA077](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18FA077) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180130001719A

## Narrative

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

A ROBINSON HELICOPTER R44, N7530R, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED THREE D RESIDENTIAL HOUSES WHILE MANEUVERING NEAR NEWPORT BEACH, CALIFORNIA. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND TWO OF THE THREE PASSENGERS SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES, ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES, AND ONE PERSON LOCATED ON THE GROUND SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE HELICOPTER WAS REGISTERED TO SPITZER HELICOPTER AND OPERATED BY REVOLUTION AVIATION UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT.  THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE JOHN WAYNE-ORANGE COUNTY AIRPORT (SNA) ABOUT 1 MINUTE PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, WITH AN INTENDED DESTINATION OF CATALINA ISLAND, CALIFORNIA.

## 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 WPR18FA077](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18FA077), Jan 30, 2018: Robinson Helicopter R44 (N7530R), Newport Beach, CA, destroyed, 3 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to perform weight and balance calculations before departing on the flight, which resulted in his operation of the helicopter outside of its published weight and balance…

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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