- Date
- September 7, 1990, 09:45 local (16:45 UTC)
- Place
- Beatty, NV
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N85594Robinson R22A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 30, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900907038659A
- Case key
- 26917
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's selection of an inadequate cruise altitude and his failure to maintain adequate rotor RPM. Contributing factors related to the high density altitude, rising terrain, and the pilot's delayed and improper use of the collective.
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 provided his passenger with a low altitude aerial survey of a race car route which involved flying over mountainous terrain between 100 and 150 above ground level. During the flight the helicopter entered an area of rapidly rising terrain, and the low rotor RPM warning horn sounded. The pilot stated that he did not immediately lower the collective. He stated, however, that he attempted to regain rotor RPM while maneuvering the helicopter in a left turn to reverse course. The pilot further indicated that the helicopter did not have sufficient altitude and airspeed so he attempted to land. The pilot entered an autorotative descent. The helicopter touched down hard on the sloping terrain and rolled over. The crash site's elevation was 6,300 feet MSL. The calculated density altitude was at least 9,000 feet.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N85594
- Reported as
- Robinson R22A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0473
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 124 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Helistream, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
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
- 27
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 562 total · 555 in this make and model · 200 in the last 90 days · 63 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °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.
Other investigations on N85594 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.