- Date
- May 8, 1992, 11:03 local (18:03 UTC)
- Place
- Anaheim, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8064ERobinson R-22B
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920508014059A
- Case key
- 27428
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 total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, and the pilot's failure to maintain adequate rotor RPM during the autorotation.
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
About 4 minutes after taking off from a hospital helipad while in cruise flight at about 150 to 200 feet AGL, the helicopter's engine loss power. The helicopter was observed making an immediate left turn and descending rapidly. Witnesses said the helicopter's rotor blade was turning very slowly. The helicopter collided with the ground with very low rotor RPM following the vertical descent. The engine and all accessories were examined in detail with no mechanical deficiencies noted. No deficiencies were found in the control system, rotor system or clutch free wheeling unit.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8064E
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1264
- Airframe hours
- 346
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 131 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Southern California Sports Med
- Registered owner
- Southern California Sports Med
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 15, 1990 · 39 hours before
- Destination
- NONE · Temecula, CA
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
- 43
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 600 total · 340 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,300 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FUL, 3 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.