Robinson R22 crashes in LA highway killing one

One person was killed when the two-seated Robinson R22 helicopter crashed into a freeway.

The accident took place Friday night on the southbound lanes of Highway 110 in south Los Angeles, Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Ron Myers said.

The Robinson R22 designed around 1973 by Frank Robinson and produced since 1979 by the Robinson Helicopter Company.

To ease the pilot's workload, a mechanical throttle correlator adjusts the throttle as the collective pitch control is raised or lowered. The pilot only needs to make small adjustments by twisting the throttle grip on the collective throughout the flight regime.

After 2200 hours of flight time, the R22 must undergo an extensive overhaul performed by the Robinson Factory in Torrance California or a factory authorized service center in which many of the critical components of the helicopter are checked and replaced. After 4400 hours of flight the R22 undergoes an even more extensive overhaul, and is considered to be a "new" helicopter once the overhaul is completed.