Accident Robinson R22 Alpha N84378, Saturday 23 June 1990

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Date:	Saturday 23 June 1990
Time:	12:30 LT
Type:	Robinson R22 Alpha
Owner/operator:	Sundance Helicopters, Inc.
Registration:	N84378
MSN:	0370
Year of manufacture:	1983
Engine model:	Lycoming O-320-B2C
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Pinon Hills, CA - United States of America
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:
Destination airport:	Lancaster, CA (KWJF)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
THE RECENTLY CERTIFICATED 200-POUND PILOT AND HIS 190-POUND PASSENGER LANDED WITHOUT DIFFICULTY AT A 4000-FOOT MSL SITE. ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER, WITH AN AIR TEMPERATURE OF 92 DEGREES F, THE PILOT AND PASSENGER ATTEMPTED TO TAKEOFF. THE HELICOPTER CLIMBED 30 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AND THEN LOST ROTOR RPM. THE PILOT LOST CONTROL AND DESCENDED INTO TREES. THE COMPUTED DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS APPROXIMATELY 6950 FEET.

Probable Cause: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ROTOR RPM DURING AN ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.

Accident investigation: