Honolulu International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Honolulu, Hawaii 96818
Tuesady, November 22, 1994 13:30 HST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STUDENT PILOT WAS TAKING A PRIVATE PILOT PRACTICAL FLIGHT TEST WITH A DESIGNATED EXAMINER ON BOARD. ACCORDING TO THE EXAMINER, THE APPLICANT COMPLETED THE FIRST PART OF THE PRACTICAL TEST SATISFACTORILY. THE LAST MANEUVER TO BE PERFORMED WAS A RECOVERY FROM A 180-DEGREE AUTOROTATION. THE APPLICANT ENTERED THE MANEUVER SATISFACTORILY; HOWEVER, AT THE BOTTOM HAD ALLOWED THE MAIN ROTOR RPM TO DECAY AND BEGAN TO ADD COLLECTIVE INPUT WITHOUT ADEQUATE THROTTLE INPUT. THE EXAMINER SAID HE TOOK CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER, BUT COULD NOT REGAIN MAIN ROTOR RPM PRIOR TO GROUND IMPACT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the student pilot's improper use of the collective and throttle controls and his failure to maintain adequate main rotor rpm during a practice autorotation.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/22/1994
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Hawaii Standard Time
Event City HONOLULU
Event State HAWAII
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96818
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HONOLULU INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HNL
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 13
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1253 Hawaii Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID HNL
Elevation of weather observation facility 13
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation HST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 16
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 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2023
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 22 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1703
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:37PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N31MK
NTSB Number LAX95LA039
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 ROBINSON
Aircraft Model R-22B
Aircraft Series Identifier R-22B
Aircraft Serial Number 0930
Certified Max Gross Weight 1370
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 Nov 10 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 56
Airframe Hours 4155
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RAINBOW PACIFIC HELICOPTERS, L
Aircraft Owner Street Address 120 KAPALULU PLACE, SUITE 210
Aircraft Owner City HONOLULU
Aircraft Owner State HI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 96819
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RAINBOW PACIFIC HELICOPTERS, L
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 120 KAPALULU PLACE, SUITE 210
Operator City HONOLULU
Operator State HI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 96819
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 HNL
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1220
Departure Time Zone HST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code HNL
Destination City
Destination State HI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 --