Robinson R-22 accident near Memphis, Tennessee, March 22, 1986
On March 22, 1986 at about 6:00 am local time, a Robinson R-22 (helicopter), registered N9069S, was destroyed in an accident near Memphis, Tennessee. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A LOSS OF CONTROL IN FLIGHT FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 22, 1986 · about 6:00 am local time
- Place
- Memphis, Tennessee
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R-22 · all R-22s on the register
- Registration
- N9069S · registry record · serial 0181
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE MANEUVERING OVER AN OPEN FIELD, THE HELICOPTER MAIN ROTOR BLADES HAD MULTIPLE CONTACTS WITH THE TAIL BOOM, RESULTING IN SEPARATION OF THE TAIL BOOM IN FLIGHT. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS SEATED IN THE LEFT SEAT; THE STUDENT WAS IN THE RIGHT SEAT. FUEL QUANTITY PRIOR TO TAKEOFF WAS APPROXIMATELY 15 GALLONS. DURATION OF FLIGHT TIME PER HOBBS WAS 1.6 HOURS. THERE WAS LITTLE FUEL FOUND AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. EXAMINATION OF THE ROTOR SYSTEM REVEALED NO MECHANICAL CAUSE FOR THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE DIVERGENCE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,370 hours in all; 229 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,805 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 10, 1986; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MEM Memphis TN at 6:47 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from MEM, 9 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 ATL86FA097.