Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA accident near Anoka, Minnesota, January 29, 2011
On January 29, 2011 at about 5:23 pm local time, a Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, registered N7195B, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Anoka, Minnesota (Anoka County - Blaine Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's control inputs that resulted in an inadvertent dynamic rollover and the CFI's inadequate supervision of the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 29, 2011 · about 5:23 pm local time
- Place
- Anoka, Minnesota · Anoka County - Blaine Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA · all R22 BETAs on the register
- Registration
- N7195B · no longer on the register · serial 3159
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor (CFI) was providing instruction to the student pilot, who had 3 hours of total flight time. The student pilot was practicing takeoffs and landings. During an attempted takeoff, the left skid did not lift off and the helicopter experienced a dynamic rollover, which is when the helicopter pivots about the skid remaining on the ground and enters a rolling motion that cannot be corrected with full lateral cyclic input. The helicopter rolled over on its left side and sustained substantial damage to its primary fuselage structure. The operator of the helicopter reported that at the time of the accident the student pilot had not learned how to hover. According to the company’s flight training syllabus, the CFI should not have been providing instruction in takeoffs and landings until the student pilot was able to safely hover the helicopter.
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
What happened, in order
- Dynamic rollover during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › (general) › Capability exceeded
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Student pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,607 hours in all; 1,438 in this make and model; 140 in the last 90 days; 1,559 as pilot in command; 1,235 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 30, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 3 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,738 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 28, 2011
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Complete Helicopters INC
The flight
- Departed from: ANE Anoka MN at 5:23 pm
- Destination: ANE Anoka MN
- Flight plan: not recorded
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 900 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 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.
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.