- Date
- March 3, 2015, 11:40 local (19:40 UTC)
- Place
- San Bernardino, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4003SRobinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Dynamic rollover
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 8, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20150303003539A
- Case key
- 90815
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 pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from the ground, which resulted in a loss of control and subsequent dynamic rollover.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that while conducting a pedal turn at a hover over rough dirt and grass east of the taxiway, the right skid contacted the ground and became lodged. The helicopter subsequently spun and rolled on its right side. During the rollover, the helicopter's main rotor blades struck the ground which resulted in substantial damage to the main rotor blades and fuselage. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunction or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that while conducting a pedal turn at a hover over rough dirt and grass east of the taxiway, the right skid contacted the ground and became lodged. The helicopter subsequently spun and rolled on its right side. During the rollover, the helicopter's main rotor blades struck the ground which resulted in substantial damage to the main rotor blades and fuselage. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunction or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4003S
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta (BETA)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1409
- Built
- 1990
- Airframe hours
- 10,400
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 22, 2014
- Departed
- RAL · Riverside, CA
- Destination
- RAL · Riverside, CA
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- SBD · San Bernardino Intl
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
- 61
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 14, 2014
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- SBD, 1 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 10, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.2 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.