ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 190779
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| Date: | Friday 3 April 1981 |
| Time: | 13:25 LT |
| Type: |  Robinson R-22 |
| Owner/operator: | Robinson Helicopters Inc |
| Registration: | N32AD |
| MSN: | 0002 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1977 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Location: | Long Beach-Daugherty Field, Long Beach, California -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | Long Beach Airport, Long Beach, California (LGB/KLGB) |
| Long Beach Airport, Long Beach, California (LGB/KLGB) | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
N32AD was the second prototype Robinson R22, built in early 1977, and first registered on February 28, 1977. After the first R22 prototype was damaged, ship 0002 was used for several years of flight testing and technical analysis to complete the Model R22’s original FAA Certification program and obtain the FAA Type Certificate in March of 1979
Whilst involved in a solo training flight on April 3, 1981, it was substantially damaged in an accident at Long Beach-Daugherty Field, Long Beach, California, when it crashed at low level whilst hovering. According to the official NTSB report into the accident:
"TYPE OF ACCIDENT: COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: CONTROLLED.
PHASE OF OPERATION IN FLIGHT: HOVERING
PROBABLE CAUSE(S): PILOT IN COMMAND - IMPROPER OPERATION OF FLIGHT CONTROLS
REMARKS- PRACTICE HOVERING SESSION CONDUCTED WITHIN BOUNDARIES OF AIRPORT."
N32AD survived this accident and was repaired. On December 22,2004 the airframe was donated to the Smithsonian Museum after spending a year "on loan": according to the official Robinson Helicopters Press Release (see link #6:)
"Smithsonian Adds R22 and R44 Helicopters in New Dulles Exhibit Hall
Torrance, CA-The Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum (NASM) has added a two-seat Robinson R22 and a four-seat Robinson R44 helicopter to its new exhibit hall at the Dulles Airport in Washington, D.C. Both aircraft represent significant helicopter industry milestones; the R22 was the prototype used by Robinson Helicopter Company to obtain the design’s FAA Type Certificate in 1979...R22 Serial Number 0002, was purchased by Robinson Helicopter Company and donated to the museum last year"
Sources:
1. NTSB Identification: LAX81FUA06 at https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=27701&key=0&queryId=c5800520-6b80-41ef-8efe-8fbfcf5734da&pgno=4&pgsize=50
2. FAA: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?omni=Home-N-Number&nNumberTxt=32AD
3. http://www.griffin-helicopters.co.uk/accidentdetails.aspx?accidentkey=28116
4. https://www.flickr.com/photos/ei-njk/9263851318
5. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://coptercrazy.brinkster.net/search/r22show.asp?start=1&count=50]
6. http://www.robinsonheli.com/media/pressrelease/national.pdf
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 20-Oct-2016 18:11 | Dr.John Smith | Added |
| 20-Oct-2016 18:12 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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