- Date
- December 18, 2005, 17:00 local (Dec 19, 2005, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Irwindale, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N177LHRobinson R22 Beta
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report March 28, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20051218029289A
- Case key
- 62976
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 failed to maintain adequate main rotor rpm.
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 entered an uncontrolled descent from the takeoff initial climb and collided with the ground. The pilot was practicing landings, climbs, descents, and approaches over an area where he could safely land. He landed the helicopter, then took off, and made a left downwind turn. The pilot said that during the turn he was trying to avoid some trees and had climbed too fast without much forward airspeed when the helicopter started an uncontrolled descent. During the descent he heard the low main rotor rpm horn. He tried to enter an autorotation but he was too close to the ground, and the helicopter impacted the terrain.
Factual narrative
On December 18, 2005, about 1700 Pacific standard time, a Robinson R22 Beta, N177LH, collided with terrain during takeoff in a rocky field in the vicinity of Irwindale, California. Universal Air Academy operated the helicopter under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 and had rented it to the private pilot. The pilot was not injured and the helicopter was destroyed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The personal flight originated at El Monte Airport, El Monte, California, about 1600.
In a written statement the pilot said that he was practicing landings, climbs, descents, and approaches over an area where he could safely land. He landed the helicopter, then took off to the south, and made a left downwind turn. During the takeoff and left downwind turn he said he climbed too fast without much forward airspeed and was trying to avoid some trees when the helicopter started an uncontrolled descent. During the descent he heard the rpm horn. He tried to enter an autorotation but he was too close to the ground, and the helicopter impacted the terrain. He extracted himself out of the wreckage and hiked out of the area to get help and report the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N177LH
- Reported as
- Robinson R22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1177
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Universal Air Academy
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- KELM · El Monte, CA
- Airport
- KELM · El Monte 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
- 34
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 106 total · 106 in this make and model · 60 in the last 90 days · 43 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.