Ramona Ca Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ramona, California 92065
Friday, August 21, 1998 13:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot initiated a practice 180-degree autorotation and the rotor rpm decreased to 73 percent. The pilot waited for the engine to bring back the rotor rpm but landed hard. The helicopter rolled onto its left side and the main rotor blades severed the tail boom. The pilot did not report experiencing any mechanical malfunction with the aircraft or powerplant prior to the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the pilot to maintain rotor rpm while practicing autorotations and subsequent hard landing and roll over.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/21/1998
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1315
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City RAMONA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92065
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport RAMONA CA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID RNM
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 1393
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
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 Clear
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) 35
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 25
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 576
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 21 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1320
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 16 2001 11:57AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2335Q
NTSB Number LAX98LA274
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 R22B
Aircraft Series Identifier R22B
Aircraft Serial Number 2154
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 Jul 29 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 85
Airframe Hours 3556
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FLIGHT TRAILS HELICOPTERS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4805 FALCON DRIVE SUITE 4
Aircraft Owner City MESA
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85205
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CIVIC HELICOPTERS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2182 PALOMAR AIRPORT ROAD
Operator City CARLSBAD
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92008
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 No
Departure Airport Code CRQ
Departure City CARLSBAD
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1145
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code RNM
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 20 2001 6:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --