# Incident 20210214005119I: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Corona, CA, February 14, 2021

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 14, 2021, 17:00 local time
- Place: Corona, CA
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.8753° N, 117.5664° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Corona, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8753&lon=-117.5664&mi=10
- Aircraft: N442WM, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N442WM) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (registry code 7640122, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 (registry code 41899, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-ae1a5) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540-AE1A5
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot, student
- Pilot flight hours: 618 total, 86 in this make and model, 144 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210214005119I

## Narrative

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

ON FEBRUARY 14, 2021 A HELICOPTER TOOK OFF FROM FRENCH VALLEY AIRPORT (F70) AND LANDED AT THE CORONA AIRPORT (AJO).  THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PILOT TAXIED TO THE FUEL ISLAND IN AJO. THE STUDENT STATED HE SAW THE FUEL ISLAND AND WANTED TO LAND UNDER THE ROOF OF THE ISLAND BECAUSE HE WAS FAMILIAR WITH THAT PARTICULAR PUMP.  THE INSTRUCTOR SAW A PUMP WITHOUT A ROOF OVER IT AND SUGGESTED TO LAND AT THAT PUMP.  THE STUDENT DECLINED AND THE INSTRUCTOR LET THE STUDENT LAND WHERE HE WANTED.

PRIOR TO TAKE OFF THE INSTRUCTOR NOTED THE ROTOR BLADES WERE CLOSE TO THE ROOF OF THE FUEL ISLAND, HE DECIDED TO PERFORM THE TAKE OFF RATHER THAN HIS STUDENT.  UPON BECOMING AIRBORNE THE ROTOR BLADES OF THE HELICOPTER STRUCK THE TOP OF THE FUEL ISLAND AND THE HELICOPTER BOUNCED THEN CAME TO REST NEAR WHERE IT TOOK OFF FROM.

THE INSTRUCTOR SHUT THE HELICOPTER DOWN AND INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT AND NOTED DAMAGE TO THE ROOF OF THE FUEL ISLAND AND THE ROTOR BLADES OF THE HELICOPTER.  THEY TOWED THE HELICOPTER TO A NEARBY PARKING AREA AND ALERTED THE FLIGHT SCHOOL OF THE INCIDENT.

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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