Long Beach Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Long Beach, California 90806
Saturday, April 29, 1995 8:58 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FIXED WING AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT WAS PRACTICING AUTOROTATIONS IN PREPARATION OF HIS ROTORCRAFT - HELICOPTER RATING FLIGHT TEST. ON THE LAST AUTOROTATION, THE PILOT OVERSHOT THE HELIPAD AND FLARED THE HELICOPTER OVER HIGH VEGETATION. THE HIGH VEGETATION GAVE THE PILOT THE IMPRESSION THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS INCHES ABOVE THE GROUND AND THE PILOT ELECTED TO EXECUTE A RUN-ON LANDING. THE HELICOPTER DROPPED 3 FEET AND THE LEFT SKID BECAME ENTANGLED IN THE HIGH VEGETATION AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY PREIMPACT MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's misjudged landing flare. A factor in the accident was the illusion of a lower than actual altitude created by the high vegetation which led the pilot to flare early.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/29/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 858
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LONG BEACH
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90806
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LONG BEACH
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LGB
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 57
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 750 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID LGB
Elevation of weather observation facility 57
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
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 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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 227
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 29 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:12PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9067B
NTSB Number LAX95LA174
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-22
Aircraft Series Identifier R-22
Aircraft Serial Number 0158
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 14 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 790
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name COURTNEY BENNETT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 16971 BOLERO LANE
Aircraft Owner City HUNTINGTON BCH
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92649
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code LGB
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 800
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 --