Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Irvine, California 92700
Wednesday, May 9, 1990 14:50 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING AN INSTRUCTIONAL LESSON THE CFI DEMONSTRATED AUTOROTATION TO HIS STUDENT. THE CFI INDICATED THAT HE PLANNED TO LAND IN AN ESTABLISHED LANDING ZONE. HOWEVER, UPON RECOGNIZING THE HELICOPTER WOULD NOT REACH THE DESIRED LOCATION THE CFI DECIDED TO STOP THE DESCENT. THE CFI FURTHER REPORTED THAT HE RAISED THE COLLECTIVE WHICH INDUCED A LOW ROTOR RPM SITUATION. THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO RECOVER AND THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN HARD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE CFI'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ROTOR RPM DURING THE PRACTICE AUTOROTATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/9/1990
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1450
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City IRVINE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92700
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 Unknown
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) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 1488
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 9 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1726
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42797
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9070N
NTSB Number LAX90LA168
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 R22
Aircraft Series Identifier R22
Aircraft Serial Number 0186
Certified Max Gross Weight 1300
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HELISTREAM, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 19300 IKE JONES RD.
Aircraft Owner City SANTA ANA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92707
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3000 AIRWAY AVE SUITE 200
Operator City COSTA MESA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92626
Operator Code JMXA
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 SNA
Departure City SANTA ANA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1340
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --