- Date
- September 8, 2005, 11:45 local (18:45 UTC)
- Place
- Santa Clarita, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8348TRobinson R22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 31, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Admnistration
- FAA report
- 20050908020939A
- Case key
- 62451
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 improper use of the collective control while attempting to free the right skid, which induced 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 helicopter rolled over while hover taxiing into position for a takeoff. The pilot was practicing takeoffs and landings in a dry river bed. Following a landing, the pilot was repositioning the helicopter to the right when the right skid contacted wet sand and dug in. The helicopter began tipping to the right and the pilot responded by applying left cyclic. The pilot told Federal Aviation Administration inspectors that he then made the mistake of increasing the collective in an attempt to clear the obstruction. The helicopter rolled over to the right and sustained substantial damage.
Factual narrative
This report is based on information received by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Additional details may be found in the NTSB's public docket for this case. For further information, please contact the NTSB Office of Public Inquiries.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8348T
- Reported as
- Robinson R22
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2680
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Orbic Helicopters
- Registered owner
- Project 80 USA Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- VNY · Van Nuys, CA
- Airport
- KVNY · Van Nuys Airport
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
- 47
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 1,350 total · 300 in this make and model · 2 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- KVNY
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.