Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Corona, California 91720
Friday, May 7, 1993 17:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A ROBINSON R-22 COLLIDED WITH TREES IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AFTER SUSTAINING LOSS OF ENGINE AND MAIN ROTOR RPM WHILE IN FORWARD FLIGHT AT 20 TO 30 KNOTS 100 TO 150 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE MAIN ROTOR RPM DROOPED ABOUT 3 TO 4 PERCENT TO 101 PERCENT. THE PILOT FAILED TO IMMEDIATELY LOWER THE COLLECTIVE TO REGAIN LOST ROTOR RPM AS SPECIFIED IN THE FLIGHT MANUAL. THE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION DISCLOSED NO EVIDENCE OF PREEXISTING MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ACCOMPLISH THE PUBLISHED EMERGENCY PROCEDURE BY NOT IMMEDIATELY LOWERING THE COLLECTIVE TO REGAIN MAIN ROTOR RPM. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF A CRUISE ALTITUDE INSUFFICIENT TO ALLOW FOR CONTINGENCY SITUATIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/7/1993
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1715
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City CORONA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91720
Event Date Year 1993
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1746 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 190
Weather Observation Facility ID CNO
Elevation of weather observation facility 650
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 3000
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 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 946
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 7 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2220
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:19PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4071G
NTSB Number LAX93LA208
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 R-22
Aircraft Series Identifier R-22
Aircraft Serial Number 1833
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 Feb 16 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 83
Airframe Hours 1183
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MENDOZA, AKIRA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6651 GEMENDE DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City RIVERSIDE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92504
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PARFLITE INCORPORATED
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code RAL
Departure City RIVERSIDE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1700
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 Cruise
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 --