Skip to content

LAX89LA125

1989-03-15 · CORONA, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport L66

N131AT has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (TUNTLAND A O SEA REY, built 1995), which was not involved in this event.

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

IMPROPER OPERATION OF THE CYCLIC BY THE STUDENT PILOT, FAILURE OF THE STUDENT TO RELINQUISH CONTROL AND INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR.

Factual narrative

DURING A INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR DIRECTED THE STUDENT TO MAKE A NORMAL TAKEOFF. THE INSTRUCTOR WAS FOLLOWING THE STUDENT ON THE CONTROLS WHEN THE STUDENT SUDDENLY MOVED THE CYCLIC TO THE LEFT. THE HELICOPTER STARTED TO ROLL TO THE LEFT. THE INSTRUCTOR COULD NOT OVERPOWER THE STUDENT AND REGAIN CONTROL BEFORE THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER ON ITS LEFT SIDE. THERE WERE NO NOTED MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE HELICOPTER. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_LAX89LA125.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

External sources are reported, not agency: signal that something happened, not fact about what happened.