- Date
- November 22, 1994, 13:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Honolulu, HI
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N31MKRobinson R-22B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 13, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19941122038759A
- Case key
- 28983
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 student pilot's improper use of the collective and throttle controls and his failure to maintain adequate main rotor rpm during a practice autorotation.
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 pilot was taking a private pilot practical flight test with a designated examiner on board. According to the examiner, the applicant completed the first part of the practical test satisfactorily. The last maneuver to be performed was a recovery from a 180-degree autorotation. The applicant entered the maneuver satisfactorily; however, at the bottom had allowed the main rotor RPM to decay and began to add collective input without adequate throttle input. The examiner said he took control of the helicopter, but could not regain main rotor RPM prior to ground impact.
Factual narrative
On November 22, 1994, at 1330 Hawaii standard time, a Robinson R22B helicopter, N31MK, collided with the ground at the Honolulu International Airport, Honolulu, Hawaii, while performing a practice autorotation. The aircraft was owned and operated by Rainbow Pacific Helicopters, Ltd., of Honolulu, Hawaii, and was engaged in a private pilot practical flight test with a designated examiner on board. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft incurred substantial damage. The private pilot applicant and the examiner sustained minor injuries. The flight originated at the Honolulu International Airport on the day of the accident at 1230 as a local area flight.
According to a written statement from the examiner, the applicant completed the first part of the practical test satisfactorily. The last maneuver to be performed was a recovery from a 180-degree autorotation. The applicant entered the maneuver satisfactorily; however, at the bottom had allowed the main rotor rpm to decay and began to add collective input without adequate throttle input. The examiner said he took control of the helicopter, but could not regain main rotor rpm prior to ground impact.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N31MK
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0930
- Airframe hours
- 4,155
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Rainbow Pacific Helicopters, L
- Registered owner
- Rainbow Pacific Helicopters, L
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 10, 1994 · 56 hours before
- Departed
- HNL
- Destination
- HNL · HI
- Airport
- HNL · Honolulu International
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 27
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 62 total · 62 in this make and model · 12 as pilot in command · 62 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 16 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HNL
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.