Summary
On June 05, 2010, a Robinson R22 (N7028U) was involved in an incident near La Verne, CA. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: A loss of engine power due to the pilot's inadvertent movement of the mixture control.
The pilot stated that during approach he noticed the trim was still on. He reached down to turn it off by feel while he was visually focused outside the helicopter and concentrating on the approach. The pilot reported that the trim knob was stuck in the "up" position and he applied increasing pressure until it moved. He said that while focused on the approach, he "blindly checked the status of the trim knob," and that he "unintentionally and without explanation pulled the mixture control up." The pilot reported that the engine instantly turned off and the low rotor RPM system activated, followed by the pilot entering an autorotation.
This incident is documented in NTSB report WPR10CA278. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N7028U.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
A loss of engine power due to the pilot's inadvertent movement of the mixture control.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The pilot stated that during approach he noticed the trim was still on. He reached down to turn it off by feel while he was visually focused outside the helicopter and concentrating on the approach. The pilot reported that the trim knob was stuck in the "up" position and he applied increasing pressure until it moved. He said that while focused on the approach, he "blindly checked the status of the trim knob," and that he "unintentionally and without explanation pulled the mixture control up." The pilot reported that the engine instantly turned off and the low rotor RPM system activated, followed by the pilot entering an autorotation. The engine stopped at a height of approximately 50 feet above ground level (agl) and that the helicopter touched down in the dirt and rolled onto the pilot's side. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions prior to the accident.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# WPR10CA278