- Date
- October 3, 1991, 14:45 local (Oct 4, 1991, 00:45 UTC)
- Place
- Honolulu, HI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N900ABRobinson R22B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 4, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19911003045099A
- Case key
- 27467
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 improper use of the flight controls by the instructor pilot ND the failure to maintain proper rotor RPM.
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
According to statements from both the instructor and student, the flight was practicing pinnacle approaches in a mountainous area. The instructor said he performed a high reconnaissance of the spot, and then the flight encountered a down draft during the final approach to the peak. The instructor said he performed a right peddle turn to fly down the slope over a stream. The low rotor horn came on and the instructor said he attempted to get the rotor RPM back into the green arc but before his control inputs were effective the main rotor blade collided with trees on the stream bank and the helicopter crashed into the water.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N900AB
- Reported as
- Robinson R22B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1455
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Makani Helicopters, Inc.
- Registered owner
- North County Helicopters
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Airport
- 0
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
- 25
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 1,725 total · 1,200 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.