- Date
- January 5, 1999, 16:04 local (Jan 6, 1999, 00:04 UTC)
- Place
- Hillsboro, OR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N605HARobinson R-22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 23, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990105009779A
- Case key
- 45636
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
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Probable cause
The NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control.
Analysis
The pilot stated that he was practicing set downs (landings) on the compass rose and that the last set down was 'a little hard, but not too hard.' He then stated that the helicopter momentarily become airborne and then collided with the ground. The tail rotor struck the ground first, followed by the main skids. No evidence was found to indicate a mechanical failure or malfunction.
Factual narrative
On January 5, 1999, about 1604 Pacific standard time, a Robinson R-22, N605HA, registered to and operated by Hillsboro Aviation, was substantially damaged after a hard landing at the Hillsboro Airport, Hillsboro, Oregon. The aircraft was being operated as a 14 CFR Part 91 training flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local training flight. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was uninjured. The flight originated from the Hillsboro Airport approximately 35 minutes prior to the accident. There was no fire, and no report of an ELT actuating.
The pilot stated that he was practicing set downs (landings) on the compass rose and the last set down was "a little bit harder than the others, but not too hard." He then stated that the helicopter momentarily became airborne and then collided with the ground. The tail rotor struck the ground first, followed by the main skids.
An FAA inspector from the Portland, Oregon, Flight Standards District Office inspected the helicopter after the accident and reported that there was no evidence found to indicate a mechanical failure or malfunction.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N605HA
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0439
- Airframe hours
- 8,572
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 131 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Hillsboro Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 9, 1998 · 59 hours before
- Departed
- HIO · OR
- Airport
- HIO · Hillsboro
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
- 32
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 61 total · 61 in this make and model · 6 as pilot in command · 61 in the last 90 days · 38 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 7 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HIO
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.