Wallom Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Stockton, California 95206
Thursday, May 19, 1994 7:20 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING UTILIZED TO DRY CHERRY TREES IN A LOCAL ORCHARD AND LANDED FOR FUEL AT A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP. THE PILOT HAD REDUCED COLLECTIVE PITCH TO ZERO AND THE ROTOR BLADES WERE STILL TURNING AT FLIGHT IDLE. A SISTER HELICOPTER FROM THE SAME OPERATOR LANDED TO THE RIGHT OF THE IDLING HELICOPTER TO REFUEL. WHEN THE PILOT OF THE SECOND HELICOPTER REDUCED COLLECTIVE PITCH TO ZERO, THE ROTOR BLADES MESHED WITH THOSE OF THE FIRST HELICOPTER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND OF THE LANDING HELICOPTER TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT CLEARANCE FROM A SECOND HELICOPTER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/19/1994
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 720
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City STOCKTON
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95206
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WALLOM FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 58
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 646 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID SCK
Elevation of weather observation facility 30
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 663
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 19 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1035
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Apr 7 2001 12:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N140PH N2314Z
NTSB Number LAX94LA220A LAX94LA220B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Substantial Substantial
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ROBINSON ROBINSON
Aircraft Model R22-B R22-B
Aircraft Series Identifier R22-B R22-B
Aircraft Serial Number 1408 1995
Certified Max Gross Weight 1370 1370
Aircraft Category Helicopter Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2 2
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection May 12 1995 12:00AM Mar 22 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 23 28
Airframe Hours 2809 1990
ELT Installed No No
ELT Activated Unknown Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown Unknown
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID L. HEATH DAVID L. HEATH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1950 E. SIKORSKY 1950 E. SIKORSKY
Aircraft Owner City STOCKTON STOCKTON
Aircraft Owner State CA CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 96206 96206
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name DAVID L. HEATH DAVID L. HEATH
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address 1950 E. SIKORSKY 1950 E. SIKORSKY
Operator City STOCKTON STOCKTON
Operator State CA CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 96206 96206
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown Unknown
Operator Certificate Number -- --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not -- --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight -- --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail -- --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Other Work Use Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes Yes
Departure Airport Code SCK
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 540 540
Departure Time Zone PDT PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code SCK
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Standing Standing
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0 0
Runway Length -- --
Runway Width -- --
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --