Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wildomar, California 92595
Friday, September 24, 1993 14:54 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES HEARD TWO BANG NOISES FOLLOWED BY THE HELICOPTER SHEDDING DEBRIS. THE HELICOPTER THEN BEGAN TO SPIN TO THE RIGHT, AND DESCENDED UNCONTROLLED UNTIL COLLIDING WITH THE GROUND. THE TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX, TAIL ROTOR BLADES, AND VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL STABILIZER SEPARATED BEFORE THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE LEFT DOOR OF THE HELICOPTER WAS REMOVED FOR THE FLIGHT. AN ALUMINUM KNEE BOARD, BELONGING TO THE PILOT, WAS FOUND OUTSIDE THE HELICOPTER NEAR ONE OF THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES. IT EXHIBITED IMPACT DAMAGE AND PAINT TRANSFER CONSISTENT WITH THE COLOR OF THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES. THE TIP OF ONE OF THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES EXHIBITED DAMAGE ON THE LEADING EDGE CONSISTENT WITH STRIKING A METALLIC OBJECT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE TAIL ROTOR BLADE AFTER BEING STRUCK BY THE PILOT'S KNEE BOARD, AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ADEQUATELY SECURE THE KNEE BOARD WHILE IN FLIGHT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/24/1993
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1454
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City WILDOMAR
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92595
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 9
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 1355 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 338
Weather Observation Facility ID RIV
Elevation of weather observation facility 1538
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 37
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 35
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 2
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1423
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 24 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:39PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N40049
NTSB Number LAX93FA369
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 R22 BETA
Aircraft Series Identifier R22 BETA
Aircraft Serial Number 1462
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 Sep 12 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 1765
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name U.S. AIR SCHOOL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1935 MCKINLEY AVE., UNIT D
Aircraft Owner City LA VERNE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91750
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code POC
Departure City LA VERNE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1430
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code F70
Destination City MURRIETA
Destination State CA
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 --