- Date
- March 27, 1995, 17:00 local (Mar 28, 1995, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Byron, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8320ARobinson R-22B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 31, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950327049529A
- Case key
- 29063
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 unsuitable terrain selected by the pilots.
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 practice autorotation was made to what appeared, to the pilot-in-command, to be a suitable landing site, but the ground underneath was soft and wet. The aircraft skids sank into the soft ground and the aircraft pitched forward. The main rotor blades struck the ground and the helicopter rolled over onto its side. The pilot reported no mechanical problems.
Factual narrative
On March 27, 1995, at 1700 hours Pacific standard time, a Robinson R-22B helicopter, N8320A, landed in soft soil and rolled over during a local instructional flight at Byron, California. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the two pilots were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The flight originated at Concord, California, at 1640.
Information from the operator, Helicopter Adventures, Inc., of Concord, indicated that the accident occurred when the aircraft skids sank in soft ground during a practice autorotation. The aircraft pitched forward until the blades struck the ground. The helicopter then rolled over on its right side. The pilot stated in his report that the area appeared suitable for touchdown; however, a dry crust was on the surface and the ground beneath was soft and wet.
The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8320A
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2510
- Airframe hours
- 58
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Helicopter Adventures, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Matthew Spitzer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- CCR · Concord, CA
- Destination
- C83 · CA
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
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
- 26
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,400 total · 1,395 in this make and model · 1,342 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 28 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N8320A · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.