Robinson R22 accident near Greenville, Tennessee, February 23, 1986
On February 23, 1986, a Robinson R22 (helicopter), registered N90459, was destroyed in an accident near Greenville, Tennessee (Greenville Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 23, 1986 · cases in 1986
- Place
- Greenville, Tennessee · Greenville Muni · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 · all R22s on the register
- Registration
- N90459 · registry record · serial 0108
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLT WAS LAST SEEN TO DEPART RWY 23 AT THE GREENVILLE ARPT & ENTER A LOW CLOUD LAYER AT NGT. A WITNESS ESTIMATED THE HELICOPTER ENTERED THE CLOUDS AT ABOUT 300 TO 400 FT AGL. NO FLT PLAN WAS FILED. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND THE NEXT DAY, LOCATED ABOUT 1/4 MI SOUTH OF THE EXTENDED RWY CENTERLINE. AN EXAM REVEALED THE INITIAL IMPACT WAS WITH A TREE. THE HELICOPTER THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND, APRX 75 FT DOWNHILL & NORTH OF THE INITIAL TREE IMPACT POINT. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND; HOWEVER, THE HELICOPTER WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED (DESTROYED) WHEN IT CRASHED. THE PLT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED. A TOXICOLOGY CHECK SHOWED ONLY A SLIGHT AMOUNT (375 NG/ML) OF BUTALBITAL IN THE PLT'S URINE. A CHECK OF HIS BLOOD WAS NEGATIVE FOR DRUGS/MEDICATION.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: gyroplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 390 hours in all; 274 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 281 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 850 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Knoxville TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 6,300 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 290° at 6 knots
- Sky: broken clouds; not recorded
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from TYS, 65 miles away
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N90459 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Robinson R22 817 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2C 1 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Greeneville Municipal · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Tennessee 1,198 since 1982 · 231 in the last ten years
- Tennessee 6,522 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ATL86FA081.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.