Robinson R22A accident near Woodbridge, Virginia, April 3, 1984
On April 3, 1984 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Robinson R22A (helicopter), registered N8415X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Woodbridge, Virginia (Woodbridge airport). It was an instructional 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).
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
- April 3, 1984 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Woodbridge, Virginia · Woodbridge · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22A · all R22As on the register
- Registration
- N8415X · no longer on the register · serial 0358
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI STATED THAT WHILE HOVERING WITH A PROSPECTIVE STUDENT PILOT USING THE CYCLIC CONTROL, THE STUDENT PUSHED RAPIDLYFORWARD ON THE CYCLIC CONTROL. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI) ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN CONTROL BUT THE ACFT STRUCK A TREE AND CRASHED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,176 hours in all; 452 in this make and model; 191 in the last 90 days; 916 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 488 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 88 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Northeast Helicopters INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 31.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from IAD, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.