Robinson R-22 accident near Alabaster, Alabama, November 23, 1982
On November 23, 1982 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Robinson R-22 (helicopter), registered N90218, was substantially damaged in an accident near Alabaster, Alabama (Shelby County airport). It was a business 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).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 23, 1982 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Alabaster, Alabama · Shelby County · map
- 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
- N90218 · registry record · serial 0034
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, HE NOTICED THE RPM'S BEGAN FALLING. HE STATED THAT HE INCREASED THE THROTTLE AND LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE, BUT THE RPM'S CONTINUED TO DECREASE UNTIL THE LOW RPM WARNING HORN CAME ON. AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING WAS MADE. DURING TOUCHDOWN, WHILE THE HELICOPTER STILL HAD FORWARD SPEED, THE SKIDS DUG INTO THE GROUND AND THE TAIL MOVED UP INTO THE PATH OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES. THE HELICOPTER THEN TURNED AND CAME TO REST ON ITS SIDE. AN EXAMINATION REVEALED THE AIR-FILTER CARTRIDGE WAS COVERED WITH OIL, DIRT AND OTHER CONTAMINENTS; THE 4 V-DRIVE BELTS WERE FROM DIFFERENT MANUFACTURERS AND WERE OF DIFFERENT LENGTHS; THE ENGINE DRIVE ACTUATOR (PULLEY) VALLEYS WERE DEEPLY GROOVED AND WORN, THE EXHAUST MUFFLER HAD PIECES OF THE FLARE TUBE FLOATING LOOSE INSIDE THE MUFFLER. DURING A TEST RUN, THE ENGINE OPERATED NORMALLY. A TEARDOWN OF THE TRANSMISSION REVEALED NO PREIMPACT FAILURES.
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
- AIRFRAME/COMPONENT/SYSTEM FAILURE/MALFUNCTION during takeoff - initial climb
- FORCED LANDING during landing - flare/touchdown
- HARD LANDING during landing - flare/touchdown
- ROLL OVER during landing - flare/touchdown
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, none, helicopter
- Flight time: 576 hours in all; 210 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: class 3
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 460 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 83 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Alabaster AL
- Destination: C Hueytown AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 154°C, dew point 0°C
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N90218 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL83FA044.