Robinson R-22 accident near El Monte, California, August 29, 1995
On August 29, 1995 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Robinson R-22 (helicopter), registered N8373J, was substantially damaged in an accident near El Monte, California. 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
the student's improper use of the cyclic control; the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight; and the flight instructor's failure to maintain an adequate obstacle clearance distance in selection of a practice slope landing area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 29, 1995 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- El Monte, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R-22 · all R-22s on the register
- Registration
- N8373J · no longer on the register · serial 0318
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR SAID THE 50-HOUR STUDENT PERFORMED A SLOPE LANDING IN A FLOOD CONTROL DAM AREA USED FOR PRACTICE LANDINGS. DURING THE TAKEOFF, THE STUDENT LIFTED THE LOW SKID WITH CYCLIC; HOWEVER, CONTINUED TO APPLY THE CONTROL AND THE HELICOPTER STARTED TO ROLL BEYOND LEVEL. THE INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT SHE ATTEMPTED TO APPLY CORRECTIVE CONTROL INPUTS BUT THE STUDENT OVERPOWERED HER. THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED TO ROLL UNTIL THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK A 4-FOOT-TALL STEEL POST. THE HELICOPTER THEN ROLLED OVER.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: balloon; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,300 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 1,150 as pilot in command; 850 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,592 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 10, 1995; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: POC La Verne CA at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from EMT, 6 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.
Other NTSB records under N8373J 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.