- Date
- July 17, 1992, 08:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Fresno, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N83556Robinson R-22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 31, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920717025909A
- Case key
- 27690
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 cfi's poor in-flight decision to proceed over the trees instead of the previously performed right circling turns and both pilots inadequate visual look-out. Contributing to this accident were the trees that partially obstructed the view of the power line wires.
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 CFI demonstrated a right circling confined area approach in a stand of oak trees after flying over the area. He then instructed the dual student to perform the maneuver. After the dual student completed two successful confined area approaches to a hover, the CFI assumed the controls and departed straight out over the lowest section of the trees. Seconds later the helicopter struck some power line wires that were partially obstructed from view by the trees.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N83556
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0300
- Airframe hours
- 5,787
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Mazzei Flying Service
- Registered owner
- Burnstein, Robert
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 1, 1992 · 16 hours before
- Departed
- FAT · Fresno, 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
- 35
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 4,460 total · 1,260 in this make and model · 4,367 as pilot in command · 180 in the last 90 days · 55 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.