Henderson Sky Harbor Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Henderson, Nevada 89015
Saturday, June 19, 1993 7:33 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND AND PASSENGER (WHO WAS LEARNING TO FLY THE HELICOPTER) DECIDED TO PERFORM A LOCAL AREA FLIGHT WHICH INCLUDED PRACTICING LANDINGS AND POSSIBLY AUTOROTATIONS. THE PASSENGER, WHO SURVIVED THE CRASH, REPORTED THAT THE FIRST CIRCUIT AROUND THE AIRPORT'S TRAFFIC PATTERN WAS UNEVENTFUL. ENGINE POWER SUDDENLY DECREASED WHILE ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH FOR ANOTHER LANDING. THE PASSENGER REPORTED OBSERVING THAT THE ENGINE AND ROTOR TACHOMETER INDICATOR NEEDLES BECAME SPLIT AND WERE 'OUT OF RANGE' FOR NORMAL OPERATIONS. THE HELICOPTER'S RATE OF DESCENT INCREASED, AND IT TOUCHED DOWN HARD ON THE RUNWAY, BOUNCED, ROLLED OVER AND BURNED. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE FOUND DURING THE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND INDICATING THE PILOT HAD FLOWN A HELICOPTER DURING THE PRECEDING 15 MONTHS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's improper use of the collective control and his failure to maintain adequate RPM during an autorotative descent during a practice power off landing. A factor which contributed to the accident related to the pilot's lack of recent experience piloting a helicopter.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/19/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 733
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City HENDERSON
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89015
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HENDERSON SKY HARBOR
Event Location Nearest Airport ID L15
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 2458
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
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) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 75
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1026
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 19 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 750
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:23PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9048R
NTSB Number LAX93FA260
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HUGHES
Aircraft Model 269A
Aircraft Series Identifier 269A
Aircraft Serial Number 85-0368
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 12 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 4502
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KISMET (L. ST. JOHN, TRUSTEE)
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1027 S. RAINBOW #267
Aircraft Owner City LAS VEGAS
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89128
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 700
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 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 36
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --