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LAX91LA097

1991-02-10 · PIRU, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Current FAA registration · N8491A

Make / Model
ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22 ALPHA
Year of manufacture
1984 · 7 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19840420
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S ABA3C4

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

FAILURE OF THE CFI TO MAINTAIN MAIN ROTOR RPM DURING A DEMONSTRATED AUTOROTATION.

Factual narrative

THE CFI WAS DEMONSTRATING A 180 DEGREE AUTOROTATION TO HIS STUDENT IN A 25 KT WIND. THE CFI ALLOWED THE MAIN ROTOR RPM TO BLEED OFF AND WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER THE RPM BEFORE TOUCHDOWN. THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD AND THE MAIN ROTOR SEVERED THE TAILBOOM. THE HELICOPTER THEN ROLLED OVER. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_LAX91LA097.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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