Robinson R-22B accident near Phillipsburg, Ohio, March 28, 1992
On March 28, 1992 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Robinson R-22B (helicopter), registered N133MB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Phillipsburg, Ohio (Phillipsburg airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO INADEQUATE ROTOR RPM.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 28, 1992 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Phillipsburg, Ohio · Phillipsburg · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R-22B · all R-22Bs on the register
- Registration
- N133MB · registry record · serial 1133
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS GIVING A DEMONSTRATION FLIGHT TO THE PASSENGER. HE DID AN APPROACH TO AN OPEN FIELD NEXT TO RUNWAY 3 AND HE ENDED THE APPROACH WITH A QUICK STOP. THE PILOT THEN HOVERED THE HELICOPTER AND TURNED IT 180 DEGREES. SHORTLY AFTER HE TURNED, THE PILOT NOTICED THE MAIN ROTOR RPM WAS TOO LOW. HE WAS UNABLE TO INCREASE ROTOR RPM AND THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. THE PILOT REPORTED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,575 hours in all; 478 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 1,385 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,943 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 10, 1992; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: M.G. Helicopters, INC
The flight
- Departed from: 930H Millersburg Hp OH at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from DAY, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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 BFO92LA049.