- Date
- February 24, 1989, 08:26 local (16:26 UTC)
- Place
- Hayward, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N9076KRobinson R22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 9, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890224002689A
- Case key
- 26341
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 airport personnel to assure the taiway was free of objects after the taxiway was painted.
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 pvt plt & his instructor (CFI) departed oakland on a VFR instructional flt to Hayward in a Robinson R22 helicopter. They landed on taxiway (twy) 2, then took off for another traffic pattern & landing. The CFI then instructed the pvt plt to make a running takeoff. Drg the takeoff ground run, the helicopter's left skid struck an alignment device which was protruding above the twy surface. After hitting the device, the helicopter entered a violent left yaw & became airborne. The CFI was able to arrest the yaw, but he could not stop a rapid descent that developed. Subsequently, the helicopter's undercarriage, vertical stabilizer, right door & fuselage skin were damaged. An investigation revealed that contractors had recently painted the twy & had left the alignment device protruding about 1/2 inch above the surface of the twy.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9076K
- Reported as
- Robinson R22
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0247
- Airframe hours
- 1,160
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 124 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Skyline Helicopters, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Skyline Helicopters
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 16, 1989 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- OAK · Oakland, CA
- Airport
- HWD · Hayward Muni
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
- 32
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,120 total · 940 in this make and model · 870 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 72 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HWD
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.