- Date
- January 1, 1992, 14:20 local (22:20 UTC)
- Place
- Lodi, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N889KTRobinson R-22B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 26, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920101000019A
- Case key
- 27528
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 improper use of the carburetor heat control and delay in flaring the helicopter for an autorotative touchdown. Carburetor icing conditions and the soft terrain were contributing factors in the accident.
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
Weather conditions along the aircraft's flight route were conducive to carburetor icing. The pilot entered an aurotative descent without applying full carburetor heat as recommended by the aircraft manufacturer. The engine failed during the descent and the helicopter landed hard and rolled over on its side. The pilot had received most of his flight experience in turbine powered helicopters.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N889KT
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1158
- Airframe hours
- 1,808
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Mr. & Mrs. William C. Moore
- Registered owner
- Mr. & Mrs. William C. Moore
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 27, 1991 · 3 hours before
- Departed
- SCK · Stockton, 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
- 27
- Certificates
- Military, Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 740 total · 54 in this make and model · 364 as pilot in command · 39 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SCK, 13 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.