Metropolitan Oakland Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Oakland, California 94621
Friday, September 14, 2007 11:53 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot was performing a supervised solo traffic pattern after completing three successful patterns with a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) on runway 33. The three practice patterns with the CFI had been done to determine wind effects and aptitude of the student on this day. As the student pilot completed his first solo traffic pattern and was coming into a hover he encountered a left crosswind from 250 degrees at 10 knots, and the helicopter yawed left and spun 1 1/4 turns. The helicopter then descended to a hard landing. The student and the instructor said there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's failure to adequately compensate for the crosswind conditions and to maintain directional control.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/14/2007
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1153
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Oakland
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94621
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 374217N
Event Location Longitude 1221314W
Event Location Airport METROPOLITAN OAKLAND INTL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID OAK
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1150 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID OAK
Elevation of weather observation facility 11
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1700
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.06
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 22457
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2007 7:09AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office OAKLAND

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N132SH
NTSB Number LAX07CA273
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Robinson
Aircraft Model R22 Beta II
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 4121
Certified Max Gross Weight 1370
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Sep 1 2007 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 14
Airframe Hours 814
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Silver State Helicopters
Aircraft Owner Street Address 500 E. Cheyenne Ave
Aircraft Owner City Las Vegas
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89030
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Silver State Helicopters
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Oakland
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 94621
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code KOAK
Departure City Oakland
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code KOAK
Destination City Oakland
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Hover
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 15 2007 2:03PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 33
Runway Length 3372
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --