Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Philomath, Oregon 97370
Monday, June 16, 2008 18:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight instructor reported that he was flying an instructional cross-country flight with a student. They stopped for fuel at an airport near sea level and were returning to their home base. When they departed, the wind was from 300 degrees at 16 knots, gusting to 20 knots. They decided to do a pinnacle landing to a 4,060-foot mountain. As the student approached the peak for landing, a downdraft was encountered. The main rotor disk low rpm indicators activated, and the flight instructor took the controls and attempted to salvage the situation. The helicopter's landing skid impacted terrain, and the aircraft rolled twice down the mountain. The flight instructor and student exited with minor injuries.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's failure to maintain rotor rpm during a pinnacle approach and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action and inadequate supervision of the flight. Contributing to the accident was the downdraft weather condition.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/16/2008
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1830
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Philomath
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97370
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 443014N
Event Location Longitude 1233305W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1835 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID CVO
Elevation of weather observation facility --
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 --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 16
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.07
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
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) 23912
NTSB Notification Source NW FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 30 2008 9:00AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4000Y
NTSB Number LAX08CA185
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 None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Robinson
Aircraft Model R-22 Beta
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1367
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 --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Hillsboro Aviation Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Hillsboro
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
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 CVO
Departure City Corvallis
Departure State OR
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1810
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TTD
Destination City Troutdale
Destination State OR
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 10 2008 3:35PM
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 --