- Date
- September 3, 1990, 14:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Sanger, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8153RBob Sandlin BOB'S Executive
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 14, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900903037899A
- Case key
- 26565
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 to maintain directional control during a hover.
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 pilot of this non-registered experimental helicopter lost directional control during a hover. The aircraft pitched up, rolled left, and impacted the ground. The pilot reportedly stated he lost control due to 'pilot error' but could not explain how. He reported no mechanical malfunctions prior to the accident. The pilot had a total flight time of 150 hours with about 48 hours in make and model.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8153R
- Reported as
- Bob Sandlin BOB'S Executive (BOB'S EXEC)
- Category
- Helicopter, amateur-built
- Serial number
- RS32146
- Airframe hours
- 40
- Engine
- Rotorway RW153, 152 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Bob Sandun
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
- 44
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 150 total · 48 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Observed at
- FAT, 4 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.