Robinson R22 accident near Manhattan Beach, California, June 16, 1985
On June 16, 1985 at about 8:12 pm local time, a Robinson R22 (helicopter), registered N8360J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Manhattan Beach, California. It was a personal 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
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 16, 1985 · about 8:12 pm local time
- Place
- Manhattan Beach, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 · all R22s on the register
- Registration
- N8360J · no longer on the register · serial 305
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER WAS TO FLY IN FORMATION WITH A BANNER TOWED BY AN ACFT 'TO ATTRACT ATTENTION.' NUMEROUS WITNESSES ALONG A 20-MILE STRETCH OF BEACH SAW THE HELICOPTER 'FLYING ERRATICALLY' & 'BUZZING THE BEACH' JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. WITNESSES SAW THE HELICOPTER PULL UP TO A NEAR HOVER AT 70 FT AGL, PIVOT 270 DEGREES TO FACE THE BEACH THEN DESCEND STRAIGHT DOWN INTO THE WATER. LIFEGUARDS REPORTED THAT THE ONSHORE WINDS WERE 20 TO 25 KNOTS FROM THE REAR OF THE HELICOPTER AT THE TIME.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 453 hours in all; 319 in this make and model; 138 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days; 329 as pilot in command; 120 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,489 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 24, 1985; 61 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SMO Santa Monica CA at 7:35 pm
- Destination: LGB Long Beach CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:52 pm from LAX, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N8360J the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.