Buchanan Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Brentwood, California 94513
Saturday, June 5, 2004 16:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The helicopter collided with terrain and rolled over while hovering above flat terrain. The student pilot was practicing hover techniques by utilizing the controls individually. While the student was manipulating the cyclic, the certified flight instructor (CFI) noticed that the friction setting on the collective had been engaged. As the CFI was focusing on the friction setting for the collective, the student made a large forward cyclic input. The helicopter responded in an extreme nose down position and the CFI attempted to counteract the student's abrupt maneuver. The helicopter impacted terrain and rolled over the nose, coming to rest on the right side. The CFI reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the student's improper use of the cyclic control, the flight instructor's inadequate supervision, and his delayed remedial action. A factor in the accident was the CFI's diverted attention.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/5/2004
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Brentwood
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94513
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 375330N
Event Location Longitude 1214526W
Event Location Airport Buchanan Field Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CCR
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 15
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 16141
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jun 5 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2036
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 1 2004 7:08AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP- FSDO- Oakland

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9421K
NTSB Number LAX04CA233
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Schweizer
Aircraft Model 269C-1
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 0141
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name North Bay Enterprises Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Santa Rosa
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95401
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Helicopter Adventures Inc.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Concord
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
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 CCR
Departure City Concord
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Concord
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Hover - in ground effect
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 22 2004 5:24PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --