NTSB AVIATION ACCIDENT/INCIDENT DATABASE REPORT
LAX88FA032.html
1987, 2f, between airports
General Information
Data Source: NTSB AVIATION ACCIDENT/INCIDENT DATABASE
Report Number: LAX88FA032
Local Date: 11/03/1987
Local Time: 1338 PST
State: CA
City: MORAGA
Airport Name:
Airport Id:
Event Type: ACCIDENT
Injury Severity: FATAL
Report Status: FINAL
Mid Air Collision: NO
Operations Information
Category of Operation: GENERAL AVIATION
Aircraft Type: HELICOPTER
Aircraft Damage: DESTROYED
Phase of Flight: 590 HOVER
Aircraft Make/Model: ROBSIN R-22-ALPHA
Operator Doing Business As:
Operator Name: HELICOPTER ADVENTURES, INC.
Operator Code:
Operator:
Owner Name: HELICOPTER ADVENTURES, INC
Narrative
THE STUDENT WAS ON A DUAL FLIGHT, REVIEWING MANEUVERS & PROC EDURES TO
REVALIDATE AN EXPIRED CFI CERTIFICATE. AN EXAM OF HIS LOG REVEALED THAT
ON THE LAST 2 FLIGHTS, HE OCCUPIED THE LEFT PILOT SEAT & PRACTICED
TEACHING QUICK STOPS, HOVERING AUTOROTATIONS, LOW ROTOR RPM RECOVERY &
THROTTLE CUTS. WITNESSES SAID THE HELICOPTER HAD BEEN WORKING THE AREA
ABOUT 20 MIN NEAR A HILL TOP. THEY SAID THE HELICOPTER WAS HOVERING
"AT 400' AGL" WHEN THE ENGINE NOISE SUDDENLY "DIED OFF" & THEN THEY
HEARD A LOUD "POP." THEY SAW PARTS FALLING OFF THE HELICOPTER AS IT
FELL. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED A MAIN ROTOR BLADE ENTERED THE
LEFT SIDE OF THE COCKPIT. NO PREIMPACT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.
TOXICOLOGY TESTS SHOWED A TRACE OF MARIJUANA METABOLITE IN THE
INSTRUCTOR'S URINE, BUT A TOXICOLOGIST CONCLUDED THERE WAS NO "CURRENT
INFLUENCE" OF THE DRUG. A TRACE OF COCAINE METABOLITE WAS DETECTED IN
THE STUDENT'S URINE. THE SAFETY BOARD FOUND THAT THERE WAS
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO CONCLUDE THAT DRUGS HAD AFFECTED EITHER
PILOT'S ABILITY TO OPERATE THE AIRCRAFT.
Sequence of Events
Occurrence #: 1 250 LOSS OF CONTROL - IN FLIGHT
Phase of Operation: 590 HOVER
Findings
Subject - Modifier - Personnel Cause/Factor
1b. 25000(S) - 3001(M) - 4001(P) Cause
REASON FOR OCCURRENCE UNDETERMINED - -
2a. 11235(S) - 1271(M)
ROTOR SYSTEM, MAIN ROTOR - Code Not Found
Occurrence #: 2 130 AIRFRAME/COMPONENT/SYSTEM FAILURE/MALFUNCTION
Phase of Operation: 590 HOVER
Findings
Subject - Modifier - Personnel Cause/Factor
1a. 10003(S) - 1229(M)
FUSELAGE, CABIN - BLADE STRIKE
Occurrence #: 3 230 IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER
Phase of Operation: 553 DESCENT - UNCONTROLLED
Findings
Subject - Modifier - Personnel Cause/Factor
Probable Cause
A DIVERGENCE OF THE MAIN ROTOR FROM ITS NORMAL PLANE OF ROTATION FOR AN
UNDETERMINED REASON, WHICH RESULTED IN ROTOR CONTACT WITH THE COCKPIT AREA.
Aircraft Information
Number of Seats: 2
Aircraft Use: INSTRUCTIONAL
Type of Operation: 14 CFR 91
Domestic/International:
Passenger/Cargo:
Registration Number: 8475A
Air Carrier Operating Certificates:
Aircraft Fire: NONE
Injuries
Fatal Serious Minor None
Crew 2 0 0 0
Pass 0 0 0 0
Other 0 0 0 0
Invlvd 2 0 0 0
Landing Gear: SKID
Certificated Maximum Gross Weight: 1370
Engine Make: LYCOMING
Engine Model: 0-320-B2C
Number of Engines: 1
Engine Type: RECIPROCATING-CARBURETOR
Environment/Location Information
Basic Weather Conditions: VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (VMC)
Wind Direction (deg): 60
Wind Speed (knots): 6
Visibility (sm): 15
Visibility RVR (ft): 0
Visibility RVV (sm): 0
Cloud Height Above Ground Level (ft): 15000
Visibility Restrictions: NONE
Precipitation Type: NONE
Light Condition: DAYLIGHT
Departure Airport Id: CCR
Departure City: CONCORD
Departure State: CA
Destination Airport Id:
Destination City:
Destination State:
Flight Plan Filed: NONE
ATC Clearance: VFR
VFR Approach/Landing: NONE
Event Location: OFF AIRPORT/AIRSTRIP
Pilot-in-Command
Certificates: PRIVATE, COMMERCIAL, FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR
Ratings:
Plane: SINGLE ENGINE LAND
Non-Plane: HELICOPTER
Instrument: NONE
Had Current BFR: YES
Months Since Last BFR: 6
Medical Certificate: CLASS 2
Medical Certificate Validity: VALID MEDICAL-WITH WAIVERS/LIMITATIONS
Flight Time (Hours)
Total : 772 Last 24 Hrs : 2
Make/Model : 456 Last 30 Days: 73
Instrument : 2 Last 90 Days: 189
Multi-Engine: 0 Rotorcraft : 582