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LAX92LA288

1992-07-08 · VAN NUYS, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport VNY

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE SECOND PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE ROTORCRAFT FLIGHT CONTROLS AND THE FIRST PILOT'S POOR SUPERVISION OF THE FLIGHT. A FACTOR RELATING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS BOTH PILOT'S INEXPERIENCE IN THE HELICOPTER MAKE AND MODEL.

Factual narrative

THE FIRST PILOT WAS PRACTICING HOVERING FROM A MOVABLE HELIPAD FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. DURING THIS TIME THE FIRST PILOT PERFORMED 5 VERTICAL LIFT-OFFS AND LANDINGS. AFTER THE LAST LANDING THE SECOND PILOT BOARDED THE HELICOPTER AND OCCUPIED THE LEFT FRONT SEAT. THE SECOND PILOT INITIATED A LIFT-OFF TO A HOVER AND DURING THIS TIME THE FIRST PILOT FAILED TO SUPERVISE THE FLIGHT AND THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO DRIFT OFF THE HELIPAD TO THE RIGHT. THE SECOND PILOT FAILED TO APPLY THE PROPER FLIGHT CONTROLS TO ARREST THE DRIFT EVEN THOUGH THE FIRST PILOT REPORTED THAT BOTH PILOTS APPLIED FULL LEFT CYCLIC. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE CONTACTED THE ASPHALT RAMP SURFACE AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER. EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER DISCLOSED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM FAILURES. BOTH PILOTS HAD ONLY ACCRUED 2 FLIGHT HOURS IN THE HELICOPTER MAKE AND MODEL. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1992_LAX92LA288.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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