- Date
- July 8, 1992, 16:55 local (23:55 UTC)
- Place
- Van Nuys, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N5061FHiller FH-1100
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920708024609A
- Case key
- 27681
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 second pilot's improper use of the rotorcraft flight controls and the first pilot's poor supervision of the flight. A factor relating to this accident was both pilot's inexperience in the helicopter make and model.
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 first pilot was practicing hovering from a movable helipad for about 30 minutes before the accident. During this time the first pilot performed 5 vertical lift-offs and landings. After the last landing the second pilot boarded the helicopter and occupied the left front seat. The second pilot initiated a lift-off to a hover and during this time the first pilot failed to supervise the flight and the helicopter began to drift off the helipad to the right. The second pilot failed to apply the proper flight controls to arrest the drift even though the first pilot reported that both pilots applied full left cyclic. The main rotor blade contacted the asphalt ramp surface and the helicopter rolled over. Examination of the helicopter disclosed no evidence of any flight control system failures. Both pilots had only accrued 2 flight hours in the helicopter make and model.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5061F
- Reported as
- Hiller FH-1100
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 223
- Engine
- Allison 250-C18, 277 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Pacific Shore Aviation
- Registered owner
- Miller, Robert L.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 1992 · 5 hours before
- Departed
- VNY
- Airport
- VNY · Van Nuys
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
- 35
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 3,323 total · 2 in this make and model · 2,500 as pilot in command · 180 in the last 90 days · 70 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.