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LAX91LA146

1991-04-03 · CAMARILLO, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport CMA

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER AND APPLY PROPER REMEDIAL ACTION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE IMPROPER SELECTION OF THE TOUCHDOWN POINT AND THE DISREGARDING OF COMPANY PROCEDURES.

Factual narrative

THE NON-CERTIFICATED STUDENT PILOT WAS TERMINATING AN AUTHORIZED SOLO HELICOPTER FLIGHT AND WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON A SMALL CEMENT PAD. THIS LANDING SITE WAS NOT AUTHORIZED FOR USE BY STUDENT PILOTS. THE STUDENT'S INSTRUCTOR ATTEMPTED TO SIGNAL AND MOTION THE STUDENT TO LAND ON A NEARBY RAMP AREA. IN THE LANDING ATTEMPT, THE REAR PORTION OF THE HELICOPTER SKID TUBES WERE HANGING OVER THE EDGE OF THE PAD AND THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO TIP TO THE REAR. THE PILOT APPLIED ABRUPT UP COLLECTIVE PITCH AND THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SPIN. THE TAIL CONTACTED THE GROUND DESTROYING THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES AND STABILIZER. THE HELICOPTER THEN ROLLED ONTO ITS LEFT SIDE. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE INSTRUCTOR HAD PREVIOUSLY ADVISED THE STUDENT NOT TO USE THE CEMENT LANDING PAD. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_LAX91LA146.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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