ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 44983
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Monday 15 December 2003 |
| Time: | 09:58 |
| Type: |  Robinson R22 Beta |
| Owner/operator: | Supersonic Aviation |
| Registration: | N1225D |
| MSN: | 3295 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2001 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 765 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-360-J2A |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 2000 West Lugonia Avenue, Redlands, California -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | San Bernardino, CA (SBD) |
| Murrieta, CA (F70) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The helicopter crashed vertically in a city street during an autorotation following a loss of engine power. The pilot was on his second logged flight since obtaining his rotorcraft rating and was on a solo cross-country flight when witnesses reported hearing the engine miss-fire and then quit. The witnesses saw the helicopter's main rotor blades coning up and then stop rotation completely. The helicopter fell straight down to a city street below. The magneto switch was found in the off position with no sign of impact damage to the switch or key. An evaluation of the crash dynamics, the force vectors involved, and the structural deformation of the helicopter could not explain the magneto switch position. Witnesses to the accident said the magneto switch was not turned off by anyone after the accident. Examination of the engine and helicopter systems found no anomalies that would have prevented their normal operation. The engine roughness heard by the witnesses coupled with the magneto switch position may indicate that the pilot was attempting to diagnose an engine roughness by selectively turning off one magneto at a time and in the process, he may have inadvertently selected the both off position. The pilot was in the right seat and manipulation of the magneto switch would have required him to take his hand off the collective, which could have resulted in a delay in reacting to the loss of engine power. Toxicology reports on the pilot showed that chlorpheniramine was detected in blood at a level several times higher than the level expected with a typical maximum single over-the-counter dose of the medication. Chlorpheniramine is an over-the-counter sedating antihistamine commonly used for cold and allergy symptoms and is present in many over-the-counter multisymptom preparations. In typical doses, the medication has measurable adverse effects on performance of complex cognitive and motor tasks. It is likely that the pilot's performance and judgment were impaired by chlorpheniramine. The Federal Aviation Administration instructs Aviation Medical Examiners that, "any airman who is undergoing continuous treatment with... sedating antihistaminic...drugs... must be deferred certification..."
Probable Cause: a loss of engine power due to the pilot inadvertently turning off the magnetos and his failure to initiate an autorotation and to maintain main rotor rpm. A factor in the accident was the pilot's use of an over-the-counter medication that impaired his judgment and/or performance.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20031219X02066&key=1
FAA register: 2. FAA: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=1225D
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 28-Oct-2008 00:45 | ASN archive | Added |
| 27-Sep-2016 22:19 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:24 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 08-Dec-2017 20:27 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation