Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Littlerock, California 93543
Thursday, February 26, 1998 13:18 PST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Witnesses reported hearing the aircraft fly overhead, then a 'schwap' sound, followed by silence. They looked up and saw the helicopter falling vertically to the ground. Postaccident investigation revealed that one main rotor blade had entered the cockpit through the left windshield half and cut the cabin floor aft to the left seat. The location of an indentation in the cyclic control crosstube, made by the rotor blade, corresponded to the cyclic control having been about in the full left control position. There was no evidence of a mechanical malfunction prior to the rotor divergence. A report of meteorological conditions by the Safety Board showed conditions conducive to mountain wave turbulence, and there were pilot reports of moderate to severe turbulence in the area of the accident. An AIRMET was in effect, calling for occasional moderate turbulence. The pilot did not receive a preflight weather briefing. The Aircraft Flight Manual instructed the pilot to 'minimize cyclic control inputs in turbulence; do not overcontrol' and to land the aircraft 'as soon as practical.' A manufacturer's Safety Notice regarding flight in high winds or turbulence advised pilots 'Do not overcontrol. Avoid large or abrupt control movements. Allow the aircraft to go with the turbulence, then restore level flight with smooth, gentle control inputs.'
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper use of the rotorcraft cyclic control in response to encountering terrain induced turbulence. A factor in the accident was the pilot's failure to obtain a preflight weather briefing which contained precautionary notices for turbulence.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/26/1998 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1318 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Standard Time |
| Event City | LITTLEROCK |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 93543 |
| Event Date Year | 1998 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| 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 | 1342 Pacific Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 310 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PMD |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 2543 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 8 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 5000 |
| 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) | 30 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 11 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 3 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 260 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 20 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1431 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Feb 26 1998 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1330 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 23 2001 1:56PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N8457J |
| NTSB Number | LAX98FA098 |
| 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 | R22 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | R22 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 0377 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1300 |
| 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 | Jan 23 1998 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 16 |
| Airframe Hours | 2871 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | LYNN EFTING |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 4741 HILLARD AVENUE |
| Aircraft Owner City | LA CANADA |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 91011 |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | |
| Departure City | ADELANTO |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1300 |
| Departure Time Zone | PST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | WHP |
| Destination City | LOS ANGELES |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 23 2001 1:56PM |
| 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 | -- |