Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Prineville, Oregon 97754
Monday, June 5, 1989 13:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO READ ROAD SIGNS TO DETERMINE HIS LOCATION, THE AIRCRAFT TAILROTOR STRUCK A ROAD SIGN AND ANTITORQUE CONTROL WAS LOST. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN SPINNING TO THE RIGHT AND IMPACTED IN THE ROAD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOTS INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM OBSTRUCTIONS, RESULTING IN THE TAIL ROTOR IMPACTING A ROAD SIGN AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF ANTI-TORQUE CONTROL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/5/1989
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City PRINEVILLE
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97754
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 6
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1251
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 55
Weather Observation Facility ID RDM
Elevation of weather observation facility 3077
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 42
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) 45
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 6039
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) 673
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 5 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1355
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40047
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:47PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8022Q
NTSB Number SEA89LA100
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
Aircraft Series Identifier R-22
Aircraft Serial Number 1018
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 Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Jun 1 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 53
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ANTONE MANUFACTURING, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 19039 62ND AVE. SOUTH
Aircraft Owner City KENT
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98032
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DENNIS BURNS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 13804 252 PLACE SE
Operator City ISSAQUAH
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 98027
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code S39
Departure City PRINEVILLE
Departure State OR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City MITCHELL
Destination State OR
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --