- Date
- November 6, 1993, 08:28 local (16:28 UTC)
- Place
- Sacramento, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N803EHRobinson R-22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 20, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19931106042319A
- Case key
- 28590
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
Improper remedial action by the student pilot. Lack of total experience is a factor.
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 student helicopter pilot was preparing to depart to a local practice field. The operator reported that in preparing to lift off to a hover the student raised the collective to get the helicopter light on the skids. At this point, the helicopter began to yaw. The student overcorrected causing the helicopter to spin. The rear skid caught on the surface and caused the helicopter to roll over.
Factual narrative
On November 6, 1993, at about 0828 hours Pacific standard time, a Robinson R-22 helicopter, N803EH, was substantially damaged at Sacramento Executive Airport, California. The student pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local training flight and no flight plan was filed. The student pilot had contacted the air traffic control tower ground frequency for permission to air taxi from the south hangars. The request was approved at the pilot's own risk due to a lack of visual contact by the tower of that area due to visual obstruction from hangars.
A radio call to the tower from another aircraft with visual contact advised that the helicopter had rolled over on its side during hover.
According to the operator, the student was preparing to depart solo to a local practice area. In preparation to lift off to a hover, he raised the collective to get the helicopter light on the skids. At this point, the helicopter began to yaw. The student pilot overcorrected causing the helicopter to spin. The right rear skid caught the surface causing the helicopter to roll over.
The pilot/operator reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N803EH
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2376
- Airframe hours
- 135
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Sacramento Executive Heli.
- Registered owner
- Sacramento Executive Heli.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 2, 1993 · 28 hours before
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
- 30
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 37 total · 37 in this make and model · 5 as pilot in command · 37 in the last 90 days · 22 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SAC
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.