Torrance Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Torrance, California 90505
Tuesady, May 29, 1990 19:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO STATEMENTS FROM BOTH THE INSTRUCTOR AND THE STUDENT, FOUR PRACTICE AUTOROTATIONS HAD ALREADY BEEN PERFORMED WITH POWER RECOVERIES PRIOR TO TOUCH DOWN. THE PILOTS NOTED THAT THE FIFTH AUTOROTATION PROCEEDED NORMALLY UNTIL ABOUT 40 FEET AGL WHEN THROTTLE AND COLLECTIVE WAS ADDED TO BEGIN THE POWER RECOVERY. ACCORDING TO BOTH PILOTS STATEMENTS, THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND WHEN THE THROTTLE WAS INCREASED. THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN HARD, SLID ALONG THE GROUND AND ROLLED OVER ON ITS RIGHT SIDE AFTER THE RIGHT SKID ENCOUNTERED SOFT SOIL. THE ENGINE AND HELICOPTER WERE EXAMINED WITH NO EVIDENCE OF A SYSTEM FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE ENGINE WAS STARTED IN THE HELICOPTER AND RUN FOR 10 MINUTES. DURING THE TEST RUN, THE ENGINE WAS CYCLED THROUGHOUT ITS NORMAL OPERATING RANGE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THIS ACCIDENT WAS A DYNAMIC ROLL OVER DUE TO THE RIGHT SKID ENCOUNTERING SOFT SOIL DURING THE FORCED LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/29/1990
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1900
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City TORRANCE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90505
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 TORRANCE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TOA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 123
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1855 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID TOA
Elevation of weather observation facility 123
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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) 1753
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 31 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1418
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43485
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 N8557Z
NTSB Number LAX90LA204
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 R22A
Aircraft Series Identifier R22A
Aircraft Serial Number 464
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROLLING HILLS AVIATION, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2845 AIRPORT DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City TORRANCE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90505
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROLLING HILLS AVIATION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2845 AIRPORT DRIVE
Operator City TORRANCE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 90505
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code TOA
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1830
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code TOA
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --