NTSB CAROL · Event
Event LAX89LA115
Registry · N9076K
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
AEROSTAR INTERNATIONAL INC S53A
Year of manufacture
1999
Engine
NONE NONE
Seats / Engines
1 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19990624
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S AC8C61
Registrant of record
OLIVIANN BALLOONS LLC
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
FAILURE OF AIRPORT PERSONNEL TO ASSURE THE TAIWAY WAS FREE OF OBJECTS AFTER THE TAXIWAY WAS PAINTED.
Factual narrative
THE PVT PLT & HIS INSTRUCTOR (CFI) DEPARTED OAKLAND ON A VFR INSTRUCTIONAL FLT TO HAYWARD IN A ROBINSON R22 HELICOPTER. THEY LANDED ON TAXIWAY (TWY) 2, THEN TOOK OFF FOR ANOTHER TRAFFIC PATTERN & LANDING. THE CFI THEN INSTRUCTED THE PVT PLT TO MAKE A RUNNING TAKEOFF. DRG THE TAKEOFF GROUND RUN, THE HELICOPTER'S LEFT SKID STRUCK AN ALIGNMENT DEVICE WHICH WAS PROTRUDING ABOVE THE TWY SURFACE. AFTER HITTING THE DEVICE, THE HELICOPTER ENTERED A VIOLENT LEFT YAW & BECAME AIRBORNE. THE CFI WAS ABLE TO ARREST THE YAW, BUT HE COULD NOT STOP A RAPID DESCENT THAT DEVELOPED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER'S UNDERCARRIAGE, VERTICAL STABILIZER, RIGHT DOOR & FUSELAGE SKIN WERE DAMAGED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT CONTRACTORS HAD RECENTLY PAINTED THE TWY & HAD LEFT THE ALIGNMENT DEVICE PROTRUDING ABOUT 1/2 INCH ABOVE THE SURFACE OF THE TWY. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1989_LAX89LA115.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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