Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Agua Dulce, California 91350
Saturday, August 6, 1994 12:57 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING AN APPROACH TO LAND FROM THE WEST IN AN OPEN FIELD. THE PILOT TOLD SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES THAT AT 100 FEET HE FELT HE WAS SETTLING-WITH-POWER. HE ATTEMPTED TO RECOVER, BUT AT 10 FEET HE REALIZED HE DID NOT HAVE POWER AVAILABLE. THE HELICOPTER SETTLED TO THE GROUND AND ROLLED OVER. RESPONDING SHERIFF'S HELICOPTER PILOTS ESTIMATED THE WIND WAS FROM THE WEST BETWEEN 15 AND 20 KNOTS AND THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ESTIMATED AT 6,100 FEET MSL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's poorly planned approach and improper remedial action. Factors relating to this accident were the high density altitude and prevailing tailwind.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/6/1994
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1257
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City AGUA DULCE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91350
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 3200
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 38
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 6100
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 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1278
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 6 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:00PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N701SH
NTSB Number LAX94LA307
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ROBINSON
Aircraft Model R-22B
Aircraft Series Identifier R-22B
Aircraft Serial Number 1701
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 20 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN DANIELS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 842 LAS CASAS
Aircraft Owner City PAC PALISADES
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90272
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PETER LOWRY
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7240 HAVENHURST
Operator City VAN NUYS
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91406
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation 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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code VNY
Departure City VAN NUYS
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --