Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Redding, California 96001
Sunday, May 21, 1995 14:20 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS LANDING THE HELICOPTER IN AN OPEN AREA ON THE NORTH SIDE OF A LAKE. THE LANDING AREA TERRAIN SLOPED DOWNWARD WITH TREES TO THE NORTH. ON THE INITIAL TOUCHDOWN, THE PILOT FELT THE LEFT SKID TOUCH UNEVEN TERRAIN. THE PILOT RAISED THE HELICOPTER TO A 2-FOOT HOVER. MOMENTS LATER, A GUST OF WIND STRUCK THE HELICOPTER. THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO ROLL TO THE LEFT AND THE PILOT APPLIED COLLECTIVE AND CYCLIC INPUTS. THE HELICOPTER RESPONDED TO THE CONTROL INPUTS AND ROLLED TO THE RIGHT AND TRAVELED REARWARD UNTIL IT HIT A TREE. THE PILOT SAID THAT THE HELICOPTER DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES. GROUND WITNESSES CONFIRMED THE PILOT'S STATEMENT AND ALSO SAID THAT GUSTY WINDS EXISTED IN THE LANDING AREA, BUT NOT ON THE LAKE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's improper use of the flight controls. The downward-sloping terrain and the intermittent gusty wind conditions were factors in this accident.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/21/1995
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1420
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City REDDING
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96001
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 5
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 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 Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 9
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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) 229
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 21 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1535
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:16PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8363Q
NTSB Number LAX95LA191
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 0309
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 May 4 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 21
Airframe Hours 3629
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID E. EVERSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 5536
Aircraft Owner City COTTONWOOD
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 96022
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name NORTH VALLEY HELICOPTERS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address REDDING AIRPORT
Operator City REDDING
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1415
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 Hover
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 --