Robinson R22 BETA accident near Chamblee, Georgia, May 11, 1990
On May 11, 1990 at about 1:55 pm local time, a Robinson R22 BETA (helicopter), registered N2579W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chamblee, Georgia (Dekalb-Peachtree 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
FAILURE OF THE STUDENT (RATED) PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER, AND INSUFFICIENT SUPERVISION BY THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 11, 1990 · about 1:55 pm local time
- Place
- Chamblee, Georgia · Dekalb-Peachtree · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 BETA · all R22 BETAs on the register
- Registration
- N2579W · no longer on the register · serial 630
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WAS FOR RECURRENT TRAINING OF THE HELICOPTER RATED STUDENT PILOT. TWO HOVERING AUTOROTATIONS HAD BEEN COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY WITH THE INSTRUCTOR FOLLOWING THE STUDENT ON THE CONTROLS. THE INSTRUCTOR THEN INFORMED THE STUDENT THAT THE NEXT ONE WAS HIS, COMPLETELY. THE STUDENT PILOT BROUGHT THE HELICOPTER TO AN APPROXIMATELY EIGHTEEN INCH HOVER, TURNED INTO THE WIND, AND AFTER THE COUNT OF THREE, ROLLED OFF THE THROTTLE. THE HELICOPTER STARTED TO ROTATE TO THE LEFT, WHEN IT TOUCHED DOWN WITH ONE SKID, THEN IT ROLLED OVER ON ITS LEFT SIDE. THE INSTRUCTOR'S EXPERIENCE OF 9032 HOURS INCLUDED 2703 HOURS AS INSTRUCTOR IN THE R22. THE STUDENT'S EXPERIENCE OF 134 HOURS INCLUDED 65 HOURS IN THE R22.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: gyroplane; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,032 hours in all; 3,436 in this make and model; 211 in the last 90 days; 62 in the last 30 days; 8,587 as pilot in command; 5,450 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,925 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 4, 1990; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Prestige Helicopters, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 3,966 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 2:00 pm from PDK
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.