Robinson R-22B accident near Lantana, Florida, December 10, 1998
On December 10, 1998 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Robinson R-22B (helicopter), registered N2321X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lantana, Florida (Palm Beach County Park 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 pilot's improper use of the flight controls during an attempted autorotation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 10, 1998 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lantana, Florida · Palm Beach County Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R-22B · all R-22Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2321X · no longer on the register · serial 1976
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor was demonstrating a 180-degree autorotation, with power recovery. As the helicopter descended through 200 feet, the low rotor RPM horn sounded. The tachometer was about 92 percent. The flight instructor then rolled on the throttle and went down on the collective simultaneously. The instructor stated that his descent rate was too great to arrest the sink. The instructor attempted a shallow flare, and cushioned with collective. The helicopter contacted the ground in a level attitude.. The aircraft slid in grass, the right skid dug into the ground and the helicopter rolled over. No mechanical problems with the airplane were discovered during the wreckage examination.
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: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 320 hours in all; 260 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 220 as pilot in command; 15 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,398 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 8, 1998; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aircoastal Helicopter INC.,
The flight
- Departed from: LNA at 6:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 3,489 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 11 knots, gusting 5
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from PBI, 10 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.
Other NTSB records under N2321X the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.