394 Pasadena PD Helicopter Crash Analysis and Cirrus SR22 Safety Lessons

Max talks about a dramatic ground collision between two Pasadena Police Department helicopters and the wide-ranging lessons pilots can draw from it. On November 17, 2012, two Bell OH-58 helicopters collided at the Pasadena PD Benedict Heliport when one returned from a flight and struck another that was sitting on the pad with its rotors turning. Six people suffered minor injuries, but the accident destroyed both aircraft and revealed systemic issues far beyond a single pilot error.

Max uses the NTSB report and audio clips from the Rotary Wing Show—where host Mick Cullen interviewed Dan Parsons—to examine how this accident unfolded and why different people interpret it so differently. Initial reactions, including Max’s own when first hearing the episode, tended to blame the landing pilot. However, as Dan points out, there were organizational and procedural factors that made this an accident waiting to happen.

One major factor was the normalization of deviance. Due to poor drainage on Pad 1, it was common for helicopters to be parked slightly outside the designated landing box to avoid puddles. On the day of the accident, N96BM was positioned completely outside the pad’s markings. When N911FA returned to land in light rain with a wet windscreen, the landing pilot assumed the parked helicopter was within its box and focused on positioning her own aircraft properly on Pad 2. The two rotor systems intersected just as she lowered the collective to land.

The lack of a monitored UNICOM frequency and formal radio procedures compounded the hazard. At the time of the accident, no standard protocol existed for announcing arrivals or departures beyond what ground personnel could hear. The parked helicopter’s radios were not yet on, so the pilots had no communication link. Combined with rain-obscured visibility and non-standard pad markings, these conditions created a perfect storm.

Max highlights how this accident illustrates core principles of Safety Management Systems (SMS), even for pilots outside of airline or charter operations. SMS emphasizes proactively identifying hazards, implementing mitigations, and creating feedback mechanisms to prevent unsafe practices from becoming normalized. The Pasadena PD air unit responded after the accident by redesigning their heliport layout to increase pad separation, establishing monitored UNICOM procedures, and instituting regular safety meetings to address hazards before they could lead to incidents.

The episode also touches on pilot psychology. As Mick Cullen points out in one clip, the markings on the ground or guidance from a marshaller are just that—guidance. Ultimately, the pilot in command decides where to place the aircraft and is responsible for ensuring clearance. This is a valuable lesson not just for helicopter pilots but for fixed-wing pilots taxiing around crowded ramps. Max connects this to a story of a low-time pilot at his club who taxied into a fuel truck and insisted it wasn’t his fault—a reminder that responsibility always lies with the PIC.

In the Updates segment, Max turns to two sobering Cirrus SR22 accidents. The first, in Jesup, Georgia, involved an experienced pilot attempting to land in near-zero visibility without flying the published instrument approach. Track data showed low-speed, high-bank maneuvers just before the airplane stalled and crashed short of the runway. The pilot’s tendency to avoid being late for appointments may have contributed to self-induced pressure, leading to a poor decision to attempt a visual arrival in IMC.

The second accident, in Oxbow, Oregon, involved a newly certificated pilot who encountered forecast icing conditions at altitude. The airplane entered IMC, likely accumulated ice, and descended rapidly. The pilot deployed the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System, but at a speed far above the published deployment limit, causing structural failure of the parachute system. The accident underscores the critical importance of understanding aircraft limitations, respecting icing forecasts, and recognizing that CAPS is not a magic shield if operated outside design parameters.

Max ties both Cirrus accidents back to the SMS theme. In each case, small decisions compounded into catastrophic outcomes. An absence of previous incidents can create a false sense of security, but SMS teaches that safety is not the absence of accidents—it’s the presence of robust defenses and hazard awareness. For general aviation pilots, this means constantly evaluating risks, questioning assumptions, and not allowing convenience or routine to override sound decision-making.

The Pasadena PD helicopter accident provides a vivid case study in how seemingly minor deviations, inadequate procedures, and environmental factors can align to produce a serious accident even among highly experienced pilots. With over 16,000 and 13,000 hours respectively, neither pilot fit the stereotype of “low-time error.” Instead, it was the system around them—and the normalization of small deviations—that created the conditions for disaster.

Max concludes with a reminder that SMS isn’t a bureaucratic requirement; it’s a mindset. Whether you fly a Cirrus SR22, a Robinson R44, or a law enforcement helicopter, applying SMS principles—identifying hazards, creating mitigations, and fostering open communication—can make the difference between routine operations and a preventable accident. For all pilots, this episode offers both a sobering analysis and actionable takeaways to enhance safety in every flight environment.

If you're getting value from this show, please support the show via PayPal, Venmo, Zelle or Patreon.

Support the Show by buying a Lightspeed ANR Headsets
Max has been using only Lightspeed headsets for nearly 25 years! I love their tradeup program that let's you trade in an older Lightspeed headset for a newer model. Start with one of the links below, and Lightspeed will pay a referral fee to support Aviation News Talk.
Lightspeed Delta Zulu Headset $1299
NEW – Lightspeed Zulu 4 Headset $1099
Lightspeed Zulu 3 Headset $949
Lightspeed Sierra Headset $749
My Review on the Lightspeed Delta Zulu

Send us your feedback or comments via email

If you have a question you’d like answered on the show, let listeners hear you ask the question, by recording your listener question using your phone.

News Stories

• GA Groups Rally to Support Next Year’s Special Olympics Airlift
• Dual electronic ignition introduced in Skyhawks
• 172 Takes Off From Oshkosh Taxiway In Wrong Direction
• Garmin introduces Guided Visual Approaches
• Avidyne earns FAA certification to continue Cirrus avionics upgrades
• Senate Bill Would Require ADS-B on All Civilian and Military Aircraft
• Distracted pilot crashes while landing
• Overloaded Aircraft Carrying Moose Meat Caused Fatal 2023 Crash
• Vibrating Suit Could Help Pilots Avoid Fatal Disorientation

Mentioned on the Show
Buy Max Trescott's G3000 Book Call 800-247-6553
Lightspeed Delta Zulu Headset Giveaway
NTSB News Talk Podcast
UAV News Talk Podcast
Rotary Wing Show Podcast
NTSB's Dust Devils Video
Max's article in FLYING Magazine: RNAV Glidepath Capture
three-day investigative hearing into the Reagan National midair 

Free Index to the first 282 episodes of Aviation New Talk

So You Want To Learn to Fly or Buy a Cirrus seminars
Online Version of the Seminar Coming Soon – Register for Notification

Check out our recommended ADS-B receivers, and order one for yourself. Yes, we’ll make a couple of dollars if you do.

Get the Free Aviation News Talk app for iOS or Android.

Check out Max’s Online Courses: G1000 VFR, G1000 IFR, and Flying WAAS & GPS Approaches. Find them all at: https://www.pilotlearning.com/

Social Media
Like Aviation News Talk podcast on Facebook
Follow Max on Instagram
Follow Max on Twitter
Listen to all Aviation News Talk podcasts on YouTube or YouTube Premium

"Go Around" song used by permission of Ken Dravis; you can buy his music at kendravis.com

If you purchase a product through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.