- Date
- October 18, 1993, 14:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Sunland, CA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N192KCRobinson R-22 Beta
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 1, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19931018039729A
- Case key
- 28572
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 inflight planning/decision and failure to follow normal procedures. The tailwind was a factor in this 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
The CFI was demonstrating a pinnacle approach to a landing on a mountain top. The CFI did not perform a high reconnaissance flight before beginning the approach. During the approach, the flight encountered a tailwind and the CFI applied full power, but without success. The helicopter's descent rate increased resulting in a hard landing. The surface winds turned the helicopter rendering it uncontrollable and it slid down the side of the mountain.
Factual narrative
On October 18, 1993, at 1430 Pacific daylight time, a Robinson R-22 Beta, N192KC, landed short of a mountain top while demonstrating a mountain top landing at Mount Haines, Angeles National Forest, about 10 miles north of Sunland, California. The pilots were conducting a local visual flight rules instructional flight. The helicopter, operated by Complete Aviation Services, Burbank, California, sustained substantial damage. The certificated airline transport pilot/certified flight instructor and the non-certificated student pilot received minor injuries. The flight originated at Burbank Airport, Burbank, California, at about 1230 hours.
The pilot stated that during the approach to the mountain top he encountered a wind shear condition which caused him to land short of the mountain top. After landing, the helicopter rolled over.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N192KC
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1987
- Airframe hours
- 1,450
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Complete Aviation Services
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 1, 1993 · 50 hours before
- Departed
- BUR · Burbank, 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
- 38
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,800 total · 2,000 in this make and model · 300 in the last 90 days · 120 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.