- Date
- January 22, 2000, 13:15 local (21:15 UTC)
- Place
- Piru, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4072TRobinson R22B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 2, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000122008879A
- Case key
- 48547
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Failure of the pilot to maintain control after encountering a dynamic rollover.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The instructor took his fiance up to introduce her to helicopter operations. After completing training he landed in a riverbed to wait for traffic to clear. After a few minutes he prepared to liftoff. As he lifted off, the right skid stayed in contact with the ground, and the helicopter continued to roll over to the right.
Factual narrative
On January 22, 2000, about 1315 hours Pacific standard time, a Robinson R22B helicopter, N4072T, sustained substantial damage when it rolled over on departure from a dry riverbed near Piru, California. Group 3 Aviation operated the rented helicopter under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The certified flight instructor and student were not injured. The local instructional flight departed Van Nuys, California, about 1145. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.
The instructor stated he took his fiance up to introduce her to helicopter operations. After completing training they climbed to altitude to overview the river valley being used as a practice area, then descended back down. They observed an airplane flying low through the valley, so the helicopter landed in the riverbed to wait for the traffic to clear. After a few minutes the instructor prepared to liftoff. As he lifted off, the right skid stayed in contact with the ground and the helicopter continued to roll over to the right.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4072T
- Reported as
- Robinson R22B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1747
- Airframe hours
- 5,429
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Group 3 Aviation
- Registered owner
- Dragon Fly Corp
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 30, 1999 · 80 hours before
- Departed
- VNY · Van Nuys, CA
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 31
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 800 total · 722 as pilot in command · 200 in the last 90 days · 60 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 15,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- VNY, 20 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N4072T · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.