- Date
- June 16, 1985, 13:12 local (20:12 UTC)
- Place
- Manhattan Beach, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Uncontrolled descent
- Aircraft
- N8360JRobinson R22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850616025659A
- Case key
- 24514
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 was to fly in formation with a banner towed by an acft 'to attract attention.' Numerous witnesses along a 20-mile stretch of Beach saw the helicopter 'flying erratically' & 'buzzing the Beach' just prior to the accident. Witnesses saw the helicopter pull up to a near hover at 70 ft AGL, pivot 270 degrees to face the Beach then descend straight down into the water. Lifeguards reported that the onshore winds were 20 to 25 knots from the rear of the helicopter at the time.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8360J
- Reported as
- Robinson R22
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 305
- Airframe hours
- 1,489
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2C, 124 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Rafael Novo
- Registered owner
- David A. Mendes
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 24, 1985 · 61 hours before
- Departed
- SMO · Santa Monica, CA
- Destination
- LGB · Long Beach, CA
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 38
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 453 total · 319 in this make and model · 329 as pilot in command · 138 in the last 90 days · 31 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LAX, 5 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.