Accident Robinson R22 N8079Q, Friday 16 March 1990

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Date:	Friday 16 March 1990
Time:	09:30 LT
Type:	Robinson R22
Owner/operator:	Kyodo Flight School Inc.
Registration:	N8079Q
MSN:	1324
Year of manufacture:	1990
Engine model:	Lycoming O-320
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Paso Robles, CA - United States of America
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
WHILE ON THE DOWNWIND LEG THE CFI OBSERVED THAT THE ENGINE AND ROTOR RPM EXCEEDED THE NORMAL OPERATING PARAMETERS. THE CFI ATTEMPTED TO ROLL-OFF THE THROTTLE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO BECAUSE THE DUAL STUDENT HAD GRIPPED THE THROTTLE CONTROL. THE CFI THEN FORCEFULLY ROLLED-OFF THE THROTTLE AND THEN ATTEMPTED TO ROLL-ON THE THROTTLE BUT THIS ACTION CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SUSTAIN A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. THE CFI IMMEDIATELY EXECUTED AN AUTOROTATION, BUT THE RPM WAS TOO SLOW TO PREVENT A HARD LANDING. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM ASSY ON LANDING.

Probable Cause: THE DUAL STUDENT PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN PROPER ROTOR/ENGINE POWER AND TO RELINQUISH THE THROTTLE CONTROL WHEN THE CFI ATTEMPTED TO REDUCE THE POWER.

Accident investigation: