Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Palomar Mtn, California 92060
Saturday, January 23, 1993 10:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO THE STATEMENTS OF BOTH PILOTS, AFTER A HIGH RECONNAISSANCE OF A RIDGELINE THE INSTRUCTOR SET THE HELICOPTER UP FOR A PRACTICE PINNACLE APPROACH AND TURNED THE CONTROLS OVER TO THE STUDENT AT ABOUT 500 FEET ABOVE THE RIDGE. SHORTLY AFTER INITIATING THE APPROACH, THE INSTRUCTOR SAID HE NOTICED EVIDENCE OF STRONG SURFACE WINDS AND ORDERED A GO AROUND. BOTH PILOTS STATED THAT AS THE GO AROUND WAS INITIATED THE LOW ROTOR RPM WARNING HORN CAME ON. THE INSTRUCTOR SAID HE ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN ROTOR RPM AND ACCELERATE THE HELICOPTER; HOWEVER, THEY WERE 'HIT BY A VERY STRONG DOWNDRAFT THAT FORCED US DOWN TO THE SURFACE.' THE INSTRUCTOR SAID HE THEN LOWERED THE NOSE TO ATTEMPT TO FLY AWAY FROM THE RIDGELINE BUT THE HELICOPTER SETTLED INTO THE BRUSH ON THE RIDGE AND ROLLED OVER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE STUDENT PILOT'S INITIAL FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ROTOR RPM DURING THE GO AROUND AND THE INSTRUCTOR'S IMPROPER USE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS AND FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY SUPERVISE THE CONDUCT OF THE FLIGHT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/23/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City PALOMAR MTN
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92060
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 1
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
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 Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 25
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 35
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 272
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 23 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2056
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 52215
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:07PM
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 LAX93LA101
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 Dec 28 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 90
Airframe Hours 600
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHIN AND PAULINE TU
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 2192 H. 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 915
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code CRQ
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 --