- Date
- June 6, 1990, 17:25 local (Jun 7, 1990, 00:25 UTC)
- Place
- Paso Robles, CA
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N691RRHughes 269B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 23, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900606018959A
- Case key
- 26833
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
This accident was dynamic rollover due to the terrain slope exceeding the capability of the helicopter.
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 said he was flying up a valley in rolling hill contry and encountered a severe and sudden gust of wind as the helicopter flew over a ridge line at a very low altitude. The pilot said the wind gust was acccompanied by strong turbulence and a severe down draft. The pilot said the helicopter was forced downward into the ground and he was able to arrest the descent and make a normal soft touch down on the crest of the ridge. The pilot said the helicopter rolled over on its side just after touch down.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N691RR
- Reported as
- Hughes 269B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 124-0143
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Dolezal, Todd R.
- Registered owner
- Todd Dolezal
- Departed
- PRB
- Destination
- PRB
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
- 26
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 950 total · 200 in this make and model · 900 as pilot in command · 85 in the last 90 days · 24 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 23 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.