Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Franklin Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Franklin, California 95757
Tuesady, June 21, 2011 11:55 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The student pilot was practicing autorotations and hovering maneuvers, and reported no anomalies with the helicopter during that period. He continued to practice 180-degree autorotations to the right in a nearby open field, and he successfully completed the first autorotation. During the second autorotation, he confirmed that all flight instruments were indicating normal engine operation, but noted that his airspeed was too slow. He attempted to apply corrective control inputs as the descent rate increased. About 100 feet above ground level, he heard the low rotor warning horn and immediately countered by quickly rolling the throttle to full power while applying up-collective. The helicopter did not respond to his inputs in the manner he was expecting, and he performed a run-on landing rather than continue with the attempted recovery. The helicopter then impacted the ground hard, spreading the skids, and then rolled onto its side. The pilot reported that the engine was still operating as he exited. A post impact fire subsequently consumed the majority of the helicopter's components. Subsequent examination of the remnants did not reveal any anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The student pilot's failure to maintain rotor rpm during the practice autorotation.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/21/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1155 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Franklin |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 95757 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 381801n |
| Event Location Longitude | 1212229w |
| Event Location Airport | Franklin Field |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | F72 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 3 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 21 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1153 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 345 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SAC |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 24 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 4 |
| 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) | 34 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 13 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 320 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.78 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KSAC 211853Z 32005KT 10SM CLR 34/13 A2978 RM |
| 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) | 29525 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA LAX ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 5 2012 2:26PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N38EA |
| NTSB Number | WPR11TA274 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Public Use |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | BELL |
| Aircraft Model | 206B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 2555 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3200 |
| 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 | 5 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 25 2011 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 22 |
| Airframe Hours | 8514 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C126 |
| Aircraft Owner Name | PHOTOS UNLIMITED |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | RANCHO CORDOVA |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 95670-5651 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | California Department of Justice |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Sacramento |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 95670 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | F72 |
| Departure City | Franklin |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1130 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | F72 |
| Destination City | Franklin |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 5 2012 2:26PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |