North American T-6G and Robinson R22 mid-air collision near Cypress, Texas, January 31, 2009
On January 31, 2009 at about 7:55 pm local time, 2 aircraft, North American T-6G (N51KT) and Robinson R22 (N226AP), were involved in a mid-air collision near Cypress, Texas (Weiser Air Park airport). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Both pilot's failure to see and avoid the other aircraft.
Both pilot's failure to see and avoid the other aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 31, 2009 · about 7:55 pm local time · cases in 2009
- Place
- Cypress, Texas · Weiser Air Park · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- North American T-6G · all T-6Gs on the register
- Registration
- N51KT · registry record · serial 49-3266
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Robinson R22 BETA · all R22s on the register
- Registration
- N226AP · no longer on the register · serial 4130
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the North American T-6G final · quoted from the NTSB record
A flight instructor was having his student practice hovering and "hovering auto" maneuvers in a Robinson R-22 in preparation for his upcoming flight check. They air-taxied to the runway and announced on the common traffic advisory frequency that they were departing. They made a "quick stop" and then announced that they were "on the go." The pilot of a T-6G said that she announced that they were departing. The helicopter was over the grass and slightly to the left of the runway when its main rotor blades struck the left wing tip of the airplane. The helicopter spun around and struck the ground. The pilot of the other airplane remained in the traffic pattern and landed. A video of the collision showed the helicopter visible to the extreme left of the airplane’s nose, forward of the left wing, just as its pilot reported "on the go again." The helicopter appeared to be in a nose-low attitude flying just above the taxiway to the left of the aircraft. The T-6G appeared to be in a level flight attitude just left of runway centerline. The helicopter impacted the ground and the T-6G flew a left-closed pattern, returned and landed on the takeoff runway.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Robinson R22 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A flight instructor was having his student practice hovering and "hovering auto" maneuvers in a Robinson R-22 in preparation for his upcoming flight check. They air-taxied to the runway and announced on the common traffic advisory frequency that they were departing. They made a "quick stop" and then announced that they were "on the go." The pilot of a T-6G said that she announced that they were departing. The helicopter was over the grass and slightly to the left of the runway when its main rotor blades struck the left wing tip of the airplane. The helicopter spun around and struck the ground. The pilot of the other airplane remained in the traffic pattern and landed. A video of the collision showed the helicopter visible to the extreme left of the airplane’s nose, forward of the left wing, just as its pilot reported "on the go again." The helicopter appeared to be in a nose-low attitude flying just above the taxiway to the left of the aircraft. The T-6G appeared to be in a level flight attitude just left of runway centerline. The helicopter impacted the ground and the T-6G flew a left-closed pattern, returned and landed on the takeoff runway.
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 for the North American T-6G from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Midair collision during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Pilot of other aircraft
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 10,000 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 11,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 31, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,000 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 5,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Warbird Skyventures, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: EYQ Cypress TX at 7:55 pm
- Destination: EYQ Cypress TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,455 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 9 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from DWH, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Robinson R22 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff defining event
- Midair collision during maneuvering
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Pilot of other aircraft
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 850 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 780 as pilot in command; 300 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 15, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 96 hours in all; 88 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 20 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Crew member
No details recorded.
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 96 hours in all; 88 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 20 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 96 hours in all; 88 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 20,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,595 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 28, 2008; 96 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-J2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Anything'S Possible Aviation, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: EYQ Cypress TX at 7:55 pm
- Destination: EYQ Cypress TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,455 ft by 40 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
Aircraft
- N51KT on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- North American T-6 Texan 109 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- North American 1,297 aircraft on the register
- N226AP: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Robinson R22 817 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1340 1,229 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-J2A 254 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
Place
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,244 since 1982 · 1,063 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,976 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN09LA149.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.