- Date
- May 11, 1997, 18:30 local (May 12, 1997, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Santa Margarita, CA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N83795Robinson R-22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report January 7, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970512009889A
- Case key
- 29786
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 failure of the pilot to maintain adequate rotor rpm during a low pass maneuvering flight resulting in loss of control. High density altitude was a factor in the 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 density altitude was approximately 4,000 feet when the helicopter took off and departed the area. A witness reported that, moments later, the helicopter made a high speed flyby in the opposite direction at 2 or 3 feet above ground level after which the pilot made a climbing, steep turn at a near vertical bank angle. The helicopter then descended in the banked attitude until it impacted the terrain. The pilot reported that he recalled hearing the low rotor rpm warning horn before impact and that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the aircraft.
Factual narrative
On May 11, 1997, at 1830 hours Pacific daylight time, a Robinson R-22 helicopter, N83795, impacted terrain while maneuvering after takeoff at Santa Margarita, California. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The commercial pilot and one passenger received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight.
A witness reported that, immediately after liftoff, the aircraft made an abrupt left turn and departed the area at a low altitude in an easterly direction. Shortly thereafter, the helicopter made a low altitude, high speed, flyby in the opposite direction. After the flyby at 2 to 3 feet above the ground, the aircraft climbed to about 40 feet and made a "hard" right turn. It remained in the turning banked attitude until it descended and impacted the ground. In a sketch attached to his statement, the witness indicated that the bank angle was approximately 90 degrees.
In his statement the pilot reported that, during the turn, the cyclic pitch control felt "mushy" and slow to respond and he recalled that the low rpm warning horn sounded prior to impact. In his report to the NTSB, the pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the aircraft.
The density altitude was approximately 4,000 feet.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N83795
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0324
- Airframe hours
- 2,995
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Thomas Zimmerman
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 5, 1997 · 94 hours before
- Destination
- SBP · San Luis Obispo, 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
- 37
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 313 total · 177 in this make and model · 313 as pilot in command · 21 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 300° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SBP, 9 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.