Robinson R22 accident near Irwindale, CA
On May 1, 1998, a Robinson R22 (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Irwindale, CA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- May 1, 1998
- Place
- Irwindale, CA
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 34.091°N, 117.960°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001211X10116
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On May 1, 1998, at 1402 hours Pacific daylight time, a Robinson R22, N8365D, was destroyed when it impacted power transmission lines approximately 65 feet above ground level and then impacted the ground at Irwindale, California. The commercial licensed flight instructor was fatally injured and the student pilot was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions existed for the local area instructional flight which departed from Bracket Field, La Verne, California, at 1315. The 10-hour student pilot reported that, prior to the accident, they had performed several autorotations and normal approaches to sites chosen by the instructor in the Santa Fe flood control basin. He was flying the helicopter and the instructor was following on the controls. They were performing a normal approach when both he and the flight instructor were startled to see wires in front of them. He said that the instructor took control of the helicopter. The student recalled flying under one power line that he viewed high on the windshield and then the instructor made a pull-up and the rotor impacted a second group of wires. The student reported there were no mechanical problems with the aircraft prior to impacting the wires. A witness who observed the accident from the freeway transition road northwest of the accident site reported that the aircraft was travelling toward her (northwest) and was descending as though intending to land. When the helicopter struck the wires there were brilliant white flashes and then the aircraft fell to the ground. Another witness who was driving nor
Probable cause
The failure of the pilot to observe in a timely manner and maintain clearance from electrical power transmission wires and her improper maneuver to avoid the obstruction.
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Browse: California · Robinson aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
