Robinson R22 accident near Annaka City, Jp, November 22, 2015
On November 22, 2015 at about 1:57 am local time, a Robinson R22 (helicopter), registered JA7963, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering near Annaka City. 2 people were killed.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 22, 2015 · about 1:57 am local time
- Place
- Annaka City, Japan
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 · all R22s on the register
- Registration
- JA7963 · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On November 22, 2015, at 0157 coordinated universal time, a Japanese registered Robinson R22 helicopter, JA7963, operated by a private individual, impacted the slope face of a speedway in Annaka City, Gunma Prefecture, Japan. The pilot and sole passenger sustained fatal injuries and the helicopter was destroyed. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Japan. This report is for information purposes only and contains only information released by or obtained by the Government of Japan. Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Director-General Secretariat of the Aircraft and Railway Accidents Investigation Commission Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport 2-1-2, Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 100-8918 Japan Tel.: (81) 3 5253 8813 E-mail: ARAIC@mlit.go.jp Fax: (81) 3 5253 1677 AFTN: RJTDYAYA Cable: KOKUKYOKU-TOKYO Website: http://www.motnet.go.jp/araic/index.html
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering defining event
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Not recorded
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.