Robinson R22 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, February 22, 2006
On February 22, 2006 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Robinson R22 (helicopter), registered N4038M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Merrill Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to land the helicopter on an icy airport parking ramp, which resulted in a loss of control on touchdown, and subsequent collision with another parked and unoccupied helicopter.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 22, 2006 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Merrill Field · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 · all R22s on the register
- Registration
- N4038M · registry record · serial 1571M
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot had completed a short cross-country Title 14, CFR Part 91 personal flight and was landing her helicopter at a designated helicopter parking area at a tower controlled airport. She stated that she made two passes over the proposed landing area, and noted that it looked very icy and slick. She did not see any other suitable landing area in the immediate vicinity, and elected to land about 50 feet from another helicopter. Upon landing, she said her helicopter began to slide on the icy surface, skidding in a circular fashion towards a parked and unoccupied helicopter. Her helicopter collided with the parked helicopter before she could stop the main rotor blades, resulting in substantial damage to her helicopter's main rotor blades.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 252 hours in all; 153 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Wasilla AK
- Destination: MRI Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.