Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Glendora, California 91740
Thursday, February 21, 2002 13:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The helicopter rolled over following an autorotative landing on a sloped mountain side. According to the pilot's statements, during the flight, the student had failed to maintain adequate main rotor rpm while orbiting a mountain peak, and the helicopter entered a descent. The student relinquished the controls to the certified flight instructor (CFI); however, he was unsuccessful at restoring the requisite rpm, so he autorotated to a landing downsloping mountainous terrain. Thereafter, the helicopter rolled over. Neither pilot reported having heard the low rotor rpm warning horn, observed illumination of any annunciator light, or felt any unusual vibration. During the subsequent wreckage examination, the low rotor rpm warning systems were found functional. No evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunction was found with the airframe or drive system. The engine was run up to full power, and no malfunctions were noted. During the accident flight, the helicopter was operating near its maximum certificated gross weight and under a high density altitude (over 4,300 feet) condition.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student's failure to maintain adequate main rotor rpm, and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision. Contributing factors were the high helicopter gross weight and density altitude, and the descending mountainous terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/21/2002
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Glendora
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91740
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 341022N
Event Location Longitude 1175104W
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1347 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 132
Weather Observation Facility ID POC
Elevation of weather observation facility 1011
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.25
Density Altitude (feet) 4360
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16302
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Feb 21 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1435
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 29 2004 1:02PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Riverside, CA

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8045K
NTSB Number LAX02FA088
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Robinson
Aircraft Model R22 Beta
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1141
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 --
Airframe Hours 2490
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Richard Carter
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Port Orchard
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98367
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Universal Air Academy
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4233 Santa Anita Ave., #13
Operator City El Monte
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 91731
Operator Code UI7V
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 EMT
Departure City El Monte
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code EMT
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jul 17 2004 12:15PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --