Long Island Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ronkonkoma, New York 11779
Wednesday, April 14, 1993 16:18 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STUDENT PILOT WAS MAKING AN AUTOROTATION WITH A POWER RECOVERY. DURING THE FLARE, THE LOW ROTOR WARNING HORN CAME ON. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER AND ATTEMPTED TO RECOVER THE ROTOR RPM. HE WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AND MADE A RUN ON LANDING IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. THE SKIDS DUG IN AND THE HELICOPTER NOSED OVER. THE CFI HAD 205 HOURS TOTAL TIME AND 20 HOURS AS A CFI.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE LACK OF ADEQUATE SUPERVISION AND DELAYED REMEDIAL ACTION BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE DELAY IN ADDING POWER BY THE STUDENT PILOT WHICH RESULTED IN A LOW ROTOR RPM CONDITION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/14/1993
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1618
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City RONKONKOMA
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 11779
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LONG ISLAND
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ISP
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 99
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1550 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 1
Weather Observation Facility ID ISP
Elevation of weather observation facility 99
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 12000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 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) 146
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 14 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1649
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50493
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N344WA
NTSB Number NYC93LA083
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 0585
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 22 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 64
Airframe Hours 3411
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ATLANTIC COAST HELICOPTER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2111 SMITHTOWN AVE
Aircraft Owner City RONKONKOMA
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 11779
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name EASTERN HELICOPTERS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 2111 SMITHTOWN AVE
Operator City RONKONKOMA
Operator State NY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 11779
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code ISP
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code ISP
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 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 600
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --