Rialto Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rialto, California 92376
Friday, March 24, 2000 12:48 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

For undetermined reasons, the pilot began hovering between 150 and 250 feet agl while on final approach to the airport. He then lost control of the helicopter and descended in a nose low attitude until impacting the ground. Earlier during the morning the pilot had flown with his flight instructor (CFI) on a round robin cross-country flight to the same airport. According to the CFI, the pilot had demonstrated that he was competent to make the same flight solo, so the CFI endorsed his logbook authorizing the flight. Subsequently, the pilot departed on his first solo cross-country flight in the helicopter. Recorded radar data indicates that the pilot proceeded to the destination airport, entered its traffic pattern about 500 feet agl, and turned onto the base leg while descending to about 200 feet agl. Two witnesses observed the pilot on the final approach leg. One witness reported that the helicopter appeared to hover for 3 to 10 seconds, while the other witness estimated it was stopped in the air for 5 seconds. Both witnesses reported seeing the helicopter's pitch attitude decrease, then the helicopter descended while in a 45-degree nose low attitude. The on-scene accident site examination revealed the helicopter impacted hard onto the level ground while heading toward the airport. The helicopter's landing gear structure fragmented, and the main rotor blades bent aftward. The helicopter came to rest 100 feet from the initial point of impact. No evidence was found of any in-flight contact between the main rotor blades and the fuselage. No evidence was found of any preimpact mechanical malfunction with the flight control, driveline, and throttle governor systems. The engine was test run and full rated power was obtained. The pilot was certificated to fly airplanes and had about 110 hours of fixed wing flying experience. His total dual and solo experience flying the Robinson R22 was 29 and 5.7 hours, respectively.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's in-flight loss of control for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/24/2000
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1248
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City RIALTO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92376
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 340705N
Event Location Longitude 1172301W
Event Location Airport Rialto Municipal
Event Location Nearest Airport ID L67
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 59
Airport Elevation 1455
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1253 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 234
Weather Observation Facility ID ONT
Elevation of weather observation facility 943
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 18000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.94
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
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 --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 14289
NTSB Notification Source
NTSB Notification Date Mar 24 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1320
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Nov 25 2003 11:36AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8328Q
NTSB Number LAX00FA134
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
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 2565
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 Mar 13 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 28
Airframe Hours 2890
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Universal Aviators Academy, Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4233 SANTA ANITA AVE., #13
Aircraft Owner City EL MONTE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91731
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Universal Air Academy
Operator Same as Owner? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code EMT
Departure City EL MONTE
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code L67
Destination City RIALTO
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Sep 17 2003 2:17PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24
Runway Length 4500
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --