Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

La Verne, California 91750
Saturday, October 8, 1994 7:35 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CFI WAS GIVING DUAL INSTRUCTION IN PINNACLE APPROACHES TO A PRACTICE AREA PLATEAU AT 2,500 FEET MSL. A GO-AROUND WAS MADE ON THE FIRST APPROACH. ACCORDING TO THE CFI, ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH THE SECOND APPROACH THE SIGHT PICTURE HAD STEEPENED AND HE STARTED ASSISTING ON THE CONTROLS TO REGAIN THE PROPER ANGLE. HE STATED THAT WITHIN SECONDS IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT THE WIND HAD REVERSED AND WAS NOW BEHIND THE HELICOPTER WHICH WAS SETTLING WITH POWER. THE CFI ATTEMPTED A RECOVERY; HOWEVER, THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH ALTITUDE AND THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD. THE CFI STATED THAT THE WINDS AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WERE VARIABLE IN DIRECTION AT 10 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 20 KNOTS. THERE WAS NO WIND DIRECTION INDICATOR AT THE ACCIDENT SITE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

an inadvertant entry into a settling with power condition and the flight instructor's inability to correct the situation due to an inadequate altitude above ground.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/8/1994
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 735
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LA VERNE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91750
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 10
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 720 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID POC
Elevation of weather observation facility 1011
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 70
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1486
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 8 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:28PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5697D
NTSB Number LAX95LA017
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ENSTROM
Aircraft Model F-28C
Aircraft Series Identifier F-28C
Aircraft Serial Number 504-2
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 24 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 26
Airframe Hours 1672
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT F. BECK
Aircraft Owner Street Address 312 VISTA AVE.
Aircraft Owner City BISHOP
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93514
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROBERT F. BECK
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 10803 FREMONT AVE.
Operator City ONTARIO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91761
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code POC
Departure City
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 720
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code POC
Destination City
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --