Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Payson, Arizona 85541
Saturday, May 26, 1990 14:15 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A DUAL FLT OVER HIGH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, THE CFI & HIS STUDENT OBSERVED THE ACTIVATION OF THE TAIL ROTOR CHIP WARNING LIGHT. THE CFI ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LDG, & HE ATTEMPTED TO CONVEY THE NEED TO PERSONALLY HANDLE THE ACFT. SEVERAL TIMES THE CFI TOLD HIS STUDENT THAT HE WAS GOING TO MAINTAIN CONTROL, BUT THE FOREIGN STUDENT'S ENGLISH WAS INSUFFICIENT TO ADEQUATELY COMMUNICATE WITH THE CFI, & THE FOREIGN STUDENT DID NOT COMPLY WITH THE CFI'S VERBAL INSTRUCTIONS. DURING THE APPROACH TO THE CLEARING THE STUDENT BECAME NERVOUS, TENSE, & TIGHTLY HELD ON TO THE CONTROLS. THE STUDENT SUBSEQUENTLY RECOGNIZED THAT HIS ACTION INHIBITED THE CFI FROM PROPERLY HANDLING THE ACFT. WHEN A LOW ROTOR RPM CONDITION OCCURRED THE CFI WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN HARD & ROLLED OVER. TWO DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT THE OWNER OF THE FLT SCHOOL, WHO WAS A DESIGNEE, ISSUED THE FOREIGN STUDENT AN UNRESTRICTED PLT CERTIFICATE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

CONTROL INTERFERENCE WHICH THE CFI ENCOUNTERED DURING LANDING FLARE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS RELATED TO THE STUDENT NOT UNDERSTANDING COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE CFI, THE UNCLEAR LANGUAGE AND THE OPERATOR'S INADEQUATE CERTIFICATION OF THE AIRMAN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/26/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1415
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City PAYSON
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85541
Event Date Year 1990
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 7731
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1450
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 29 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 905
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42760
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:58PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N528EE
NTSB Number LAX90FA202
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ROBINSON
Aircraft Model R22B
Aircraft Series Identifier R22B
Aircraft Serial Number 528
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 May 13 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ARIZONA WING & ROTOR, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 14605 N. AIRPORT DR. STE. 340
Aircraft Owner City SCOTTSDALE
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85260
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 Yes - certificate holder
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SDL
Departure City SCOTTSDALE
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1330
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City METEOR CRATER
Destination State AZ
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --