- Date
- February 22, 2002, 13:35 local (21:35 UTC)
- Place
- Paso Robles, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N500JYYoung Mini-500
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 2, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20020222003199A
- Case key
- 54245
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
the pilot's inadequate visual lookout and his failure to maintain obstacle clearance.
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
Seconds after taking off from an open field, the helicopter's tail rotor contacted power lines that the pilot had not seen. The pilot lost control of the helicopter and it impacted the ground, then rolled over.
Factual narrative
On February 22, 2002, about 1335 Pacific standard time, a Young Mini-500, N500JY, collided with power lines during the initial climb from a clearing about 4 miles southeast of Paso Robles, California. The airline transport certificated pilot/owner operated the helicopter under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The helicopter was substantially damaged, and the pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The local area personal flight was originating at the time.
The pilot reported to the National Transportation Safety Board investigator that, at the time of the accident, the visibility was 5 miles and the surface wind was light. The pilot intended to reposition his helicopter from an open field onto a nearby trailer. Seconds after taking off, the helicopter's tail rotor contacted a power line that he had not observed. Thereafter, he lost control of the helicopter and it impacted the ground and rolled over. No non-impact related mechanical malfunctions or failures were experienced during the flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N500JY
- Reported as
- Young Mini-500
- Category
- Helicopter, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 411
- Airframe hours
- 42
- Engine
- Rotax 582, 80 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Glenn P. Young
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Unknown · February 10, 2002 · 1 hours before
- Departed
- Paso Robles, CA
- Destination
- PRB · Paso Robles, 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
- 52
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 10, 2000
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 10,920 total · 42 in this make and model · 7,800 as pilot in command · 93 in the last 90 days · 38 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
- Observed at
- PRB, 4 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 19, 2004, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 296 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.