Robinson R22A accident near Torrance, California, May 30, 1990
On May 30, 1990 at about 2:00 am local time, a Robinson R22A (helicopter), registered N8557Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Torrance, California (Torrance 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
THIS ACCIDENT WAS A DYNAMIC ROLL OVER DUE TO THE RIGHT SKID ENCOUNTERING SOFT SOIL DURING THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 1990 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Torrance, California · Torrance · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22A · all R22As on the register
- Registration
- N8557Z · no longer on the register · serial 464
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO STATEMENTS FROM BOTH THE INSTRUCTOR AND THE STUDENT, FOUR PRACTICE AUTOROTATIONS HAD ALREADY BEEN PERFORMED WITH POWER RECOVERIES PRIOR TO TOUCH DOWN. THE PILOTS NOTED THAT THE FIFTH AUTOROTATION PROCEEDED NORMALLY UNTIL ABOUT 40 FEET AGL WHEN THROTTLE AND COLLECTIVE WAS ADDED TO BEGIN THE POWER RECOVERY. ACCORDING TO BOTH PILOTS STATEMENTS, THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND WHEN THE THROTTLE WAS INCREASED. THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN HARD, SLID ALONG THE GROUND AND ROLLED OVER ON ITS RIGHT SIDE AFTER THE RIGHT SKID ENCOUNTERED SOFT SOIL. THE ENGINE AND HELICOPTER WERE EXAMINED WITH NO EVIDENCE OF A SYSTEM FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE ENGINE WAS STARTED IN THE HELICOPTER AND RUN FOR 10 MINUTES. DURING THE TEST RUN, THE ENGINE WAS CYCLED THROUGHOUT ITS NORMAL OPERATING RANGE.
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: 645 hours in all; 628 in this make and model; 360 in the last 90 days; 135 in the last 30 days; 594 as pilot in command; 447 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Rolling Hills Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: TOA at 1:30 am
- Destination: TOA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 am from TOA
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.
Other NTSB records under N8557Z 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.