- Date
- June 5, 1989, 13:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Prineville, OR
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8022QRobinson R-22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 2, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890605014359A
- Case key
- 41024
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 pilots inadequate visual lookout and failure to maintain clearance from obstructions, resulting in the tail rotor impacting a road sign and subsequent loss of anti-torque control.
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
While the pilot was attempting to read road signs to determine his location, the aircraft tailrotor struck a road sign and antitorque control was lost. The aircraft began spinning to the right and impacted in the road.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8022Q
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1018
- Airframe hours
- 53
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Dennis Burns
- Registered owner
- Antone Manufacturing, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · June 1, 1989 · 3 hours before
- Departed
- S39 · Prineville, OR
- Destination
- Mitchell, OR
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
- 44
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 95 total · 95 in this make and model · 63 as pilot in command · 63 in the last 90 days · 21 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 45 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RDM, 42 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.