Manassas Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Manassas, Virginia 22110
Thursday, August 17, 1989 11:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THIS WAS THE STUDENT'S 1ST FLT IN A HELICOPTER. THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) DEMONSTRATED A HOVER, THEN LET THE STUDENT TAKE CONTROL THE HELICOPTER, WHILE HE (THE CFI) FOLLOWED THRU LIGHTLY ON THE CONTROLS. THE CFI RPRTD THAT THE HELICOPTER MOVED TO THE LEFT & THE STUDENT CORRECTED BY APPLYING FULL RIGHT CYCLIC. THE CFI ATTEMPTED TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER, BUT THE STUDENT OVERPOWERED HIM. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE RIGHT SKID CONTACTED THE GROUND & THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER USE OF THE CYCLIC CONTROL BY THE STUDENT PILOT AND HIS FAILURE TO RELINQUISH CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER TO THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI). A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE STUDENT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/17/1989
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MANASSAS
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 22110
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MANASSAS MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID W10
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 --
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
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) --
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) 1402
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 17 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39702
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:57PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8557H
NTSB Number BFO89LA071
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 0460
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 Jul 27 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 44
Airframe Hours 2252
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ALLAN BERNSTEIN
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 2133
Aircraft Owner City MANASSAS
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 22110
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 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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1115
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Hover
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 --