ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 166490
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| Date: | Friday 23 May 2014 |
| Time: | 10:30 |
| Type: |  Robinson R22 Beta |
| Owner/operator: | Sierra Flite LLC |
| Registration: | N4081H |
| MSN: | 1927 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1991 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 4323 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-320 SERIES |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 3 miles West of Santa Paula Airport, Santa Paula, California -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Oxnard Airport, Oxnard, California (OXR/KOXR) |
| Santa Paula Airport, Santa Paula, California (SZP/KSZP) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On May 23, 2014, about 10:30 PDT (Pacific Daylight Time), a Robinson R22 helicopter, N4081H, collided with overhead distribution power lines and terrain while maneuvering near the 900 block of Corporation Street, in a dry river bed, about 3 miles west of Santa Paula Airport (SZP) Santa Paula, California. The certified commercial pilot, the sole occupant of the helicopter, was fatally injured. The helicopter was substantially damaged. The helicopter was registered to Sierra Flite, LLC, Camden, Delaware, and operated by Channel Islands Helicopters, LLC, Oxnard, California, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Oxnard Airport (OXR) Oxnard, California about 09:30 PDT.
According to Channel Islands Helicopters, the pilot departed OXR after refuelling, and flew in the area near the Camarillo Airport, Camarillo, California (CMA), where he then departed for SZP. The helicopter was refueled at OXR with 15.8 gallons of 100LL. The pilot was building time towards his rotorcraft commercial rating.
A witness, who lived near the accident site, saw the helicopter flying in a northeasterly direction paralleling her property. The helicopter was below the tree line on the opposite side of the riverbed and was descending. The witness stated that the helicopter sounded normal but was unusually loud because it was so close. Shortly after losing sight of the helicopter, she heard two loud "pops."
According to local law enforcement, three phase overhead distribution power lines were separated directly over the accident site. These lines were supported by two wooden H-frame pole assemblies at a distance of about 1,000 feet from each other and about 80 feet over the dry river bed. The separated power lines were found in the surrounding bamboo vegetation and trees adjacent to the riverbed. Near the northern positioned H-frame, small spot fires were reported in the surrounding vegetation.
Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from power lines while flying at a low altitude. N4081H was presumably declared a write off (damaged beyond economic repair) at a later date, as the registration was cancelled by the FAA on July 8 2014
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
2. FAA register: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N4081H
3. http://helihub.com/2014/05/23/23-may-14-robinson-r22-santa-paula-us-california-1f/
4. https://abc7.com/news/santa-paula-helicopter-crash-leaves-1-dead/75256/
5. https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/1-dead-in-Southern-California-helicopter-crash-5501027.php
6. https://ktla.com/2014/05/23/helicopter-crash-in-santa-paula-leaves-at-least-1-person-dead/
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-May-2014 05:43 | dfix1 | Added |
| 27-May-2014 22:04 | Geno | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Other fatalities, Location, Nature, Departure airport, Source] |
| 28-May-2014 04:38 | Geno | Updated [Time, Phase, Destination airport, Source] |
| 16-Oct-2016 17:11 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 16-Oct-2016 17:13 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Source] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:28 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 29-Nov-2017 14:22 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 19-Aug-2018 20:23 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 20-Aug-2018 19:44 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Damage, Narrative] |
| 20-Aug-2018 19:47 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Destination airport] |
| 30-Aug-2018 23:15 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Operator, Location, Departure airport, Narrative] |
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