# NTSB LAX93LA302: Robinson R22-B, N23517, Venice, CA, July 28, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 27, 1993, 19:30 local (Jul 28, 1993, 02:30 UTC) - Place: Venice, CA - Coordinates: 33.990436, -118.460502 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.9904&lon=-118.4605&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 26, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 28434 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX93LA302 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/28434/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX93LA302 ## Probable cause The failure of the pilot to maintain proper main rotor RPM, altitude, and airspeed during the performance of a steep turn. Inadequate in-flight planning and overconfidence in the pilot's abilities were factors in this accident. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with terrain/water, maneuvering - rotor rpm - not maintained, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - altitude - not maintained, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - in-flight planning/decision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (contributing factor) - overconfidence in personal ability, pilot in command(cfi) (contributing factor) ## Analysis THE CERTIFICATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WAS CONDUCTING A TRAINING FLIGHT WITH A STUDENT PILOT. WITNESSES REPORTED OBSERVING THE HELICOPTER NORTHBOUND AT LOW LEVEL, PARALLELING A BEACH. THE HELICOPTER BEGAN AN ABRUPT CLIMB TO ABOUT 150 FEET, FOLLOWED BY A RAPID DESCENDING 180 DEGREE RIGHT TURN TO GO SOUTHBOUND. AS THE HELICOPTER WAS COMPLETING THE TURN AND STILL DESCENDING, IT STRUCK THE BEACH IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS DEMONSTRATING COLLISION AVOIDANCE MANEUVERS BY BEGINNING A TIGHT 36O DEGREE TURN. DURING THE TURN, THE MAIN ROTOR RPM BEGAN TO DECAY AND THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE OR AIRSPEED. ## Factual narrative On July 27, 1993, about 1930 hours Pacific daylight time, a Robinson R22-B helicopter, N23517, crashed while maneuvering along the beach at Venice, California. The helicopter was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area instructional flight when the accident occurred. The helicopter, operated by Complete Aviation Services Inc., Burbank, California, received substantial damage. The certificated commercial pilot/flight instructor and a student pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at Burbank at 1800 hours; however, it had departed the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) area about 1920 hours. Numerous witnesses reported observing the helicopter flying northbound at low level along the shoreline of Dockweiler Beach at high speed. The helicopter was observed to begin a near vertical pull up, followed by a rapid descending 180 degree right turn to go southbound. As the helicopter was completing the turn and still descending, it struck the beach in a nose low attitude. The helicopter came to rest on its left side. The pilot reported that he was providing dual instruction to his student pilot and was enroute to Burbank after departing LAX. The pilot decided to initiate 360 degree tight turns to demonstrate collision avoidance maneuvers to his student. From an altitude of about 25 feet, the pilot climbed to 150 feet and started the turn. The pilot reported that the bank angle in the turn did not exceed 45 degrees. The main rotor RPM decayed and the pilot decided to abort the maneuver and attempted to regain rotor RPM. The pilot indicated that the RPM failed to increase and the helicopter entered an uncontrolled descent. The pilot selected a landing spot on the beach and attempted to level the helicopter. The landing gear skids dug into the sand and the helicopter rolled over. The pilot reported that he did not have any recollection of the power setting during the recovery attempt, and did not recall the airspeed during the turn. The FAA's Basic Helicopter Handbook publication, Chapter 3, Loads and Load Factors, states in part: ..."Any time a helicopter flies in a curved flight path, the load supported by the rotor blades is greater than the total weight of the helicopter. The tighter the curved flightpath, that is, the steeper the bank,...the greater the load factor. The load factor and, hence, apparent gross weight increase is relatively small in banks up to 30 degrees... Above 30 degrees of bank, the apparent increase in gross weight soars. At 30 degrees of bank, the apparent increase is only 16 percent, but at 60 degrees, it is 100 percent." In Chapter 11, Helicopter Flight Maneuvers, Turns, it states in part: ..."To enter a turn from straight-and-level flight, apply sideward pressure on the cyclic stick in the direction the turn is to be made... The more the cyclic stick is displaced, the steeper the angle of bank; therefore, adjust the cyclic stick to obtain and maintain the desired bank throughout the turn. Increase collective pitch and throttle as necessary to maintain altitude and RPM..." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N23517](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N23517-1994-08-11), registration cancelled 1994-08-11, S/N 2231 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ROBINSON R22-B - Registry model: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta) (registry code 7640110) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 2231 - Airframe hours: 702 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-B2C 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Complete Aviation Services Inc - Registered owner: Complete Aviation Services Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 27, 1993, 2 hours before - Departed: BUR, BURBANK, CA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 23; commercial; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 870 total, 850 in this make and model, 780 as pilot in command, 318 in the last 90 days, 70 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19930727026039A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930727026039A), Jul 27, 1993: Robsin R22BETA, Santa Monica, CA, Substantial damage. During steep turn demo of avoidance maneuver CFI allowed low rotor RPM due overloading rotors. Impacted and rolled. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.