- Date
- January 11, 1992, 15:15 local (23:15 UTC)
- Place
- Lake Hughes, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N2634NRobinson R22B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 11, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920111000429A
- Case key
- 27535
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 failure of the pilot to maintain rotor RPM while maneuvering and his misjudgement of the landing flare. A factor in the accident was the pilot's lack of total experience.
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 77 hour newly certificated private pilot said he performed a right 180 degree turn at about 500 feet AGL. During the turn the low rotor RPM warning horn and light came on. The pilot attempted to regain rotor RPM by manipulating the throttle and collective controls, but was unsuccessful. The pilot entered an autorotation, landed hard and the main rotor severed the tail boom. The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction or failure of the helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2634N
- Reported as
- Robinson R22B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0795
- Airframe hours
- 3,680
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 131 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Watson Helicopters, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Marvin Rush
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 6, 1992 · 6 hours before
- Departed
- WJF · Lancaster, CA
- Destination
- WHP · Pacoima, 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
- 22
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 77 total · 77 in this make and model · 39 as pilot in command · 24 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °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 N2634N · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.