Robinson R22 Beta accident near Upland, California, October 8, 2006
On October 8, 2006 at about 8:12 pm local time, a Robinson R22 Beta (helicopter), registered N821SH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Upland, California (Cable airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Disconnection of the throttle control linkage due to improper maintenance, which resulted in a loss of engine power during initial climb.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 8, 2006 · about 8:12 pm local time
- Place
- Upland, California · Cable · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 Beta · all R22 Betas on the register
- Registration
- N821SH · registry record · serial 3774
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter's engine suddenly lost power during initial climb on an instructional flight. The certified flight instructor (CFI) took the controls and autorotated to a hard touchdown in a gravel pit. After securing the helicopter, the CFI inspected the throttle linkage. He reported that something appeared disconnected behind the firewall. "When rotating the throttle from full open to full close, the push/pull tube that connects to the carburetor does not move." The subsequent examination of the helicopter's throttle spring assembly revealed that on a previous occasion improper maintenance had been performed. The helicopter's maintenance records did not reflect maintenance in this area. The inspection revealed that the upper rod end bearing was disconnected from the lower portion of the rod because it had not been safety wired as required. This maintenance error resulted in a total loss of throttle control.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 841 hours in all; 797 in this make and model; 395 in the last 90 days; 125 in the last 30 days; 800 as pilot in command; 684 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 110 hours in all; 103 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 66 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,809 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-J2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Silver State Helicopters, LLC
The flight
- Departed from: CCB Upland CA at 7:30 pm
- Destination: POC La Verne CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,864 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 7:47 pm from POC, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.