Livermore Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Livermore, California 94550
Thursday, September 23, 1993 15:10 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT HAD STABILIZED THE AIRCRAFT IN A HOVER AND WAS DESCENDING FOR LANDING FROM ABOUT 30 FEET AGL. THE ENGINE SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND THE RATE OF DESCENT INCREASED. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO ADD FORWARD CYCLIC TO PERFORM A RUNNING LANDING. THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE COLLAPSING THE SKIDS AND DAMAGING THE ROTORS AND FUSELAGE. INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE PRIMER SYSTEM DISCLOSED THAT THE PRIMER HANDLE WAS UNLOCKED. THE PRIMER HAD UNLOCKED ON THIS HELICOPTER ON TWO PREVIOUS OCCASIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A partial engine power loss that resulted in a hard landing due to the engine primer system becoming unlocked.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/23/1993
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1510
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LIVERMORE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94550
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 LIVERMORE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LVK
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 397
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1510 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID LVK
Elevation of weather observation facility 397
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1447
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 23 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1550
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 N2407X
NTSB Number LAX93LA367
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 R-22 BETA
Aircraft Series Identifier R-22 BETA
Aircraft Serial Number 1883
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 6 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 34
Airframe Hours 1632
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BRADY, HOWARD N., JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5729 VICTORY COURT
Aircraft Owner City LAKE OSWEGO
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97035
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name TRI VALLEY HELICOPTERS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 660 TERMINAL CIRCLE
Operator City LIVERMORE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 94550
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1445
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 Hover
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
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 --