Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA accident near Bulverde, Texas, March 9, 2011
On March 9, 2011 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, registered N112HE, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Bulverde, Texas. 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 in-flight separation of the fuel cap, which impacted the helicopter’s tail rotor and resulted in the loss of tail rotor thrust. Contributing to the accident was the inadequate preflight inspection by both pilots, who did not ensure that the fuel cap was securely tightened before flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 9, 2011 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bulverde, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA · all R22 BETAs on the register
- Registration
- N112HE · no longer on the register · serial 1112
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Prior to the flight, the flight instructor refueled the helicopter, and the student pilot performed a pre-flight inspection of the helicopter. The instructor and student then departed and were practicing autorotations when the helicopter yawed left and right. The instructor initiated an autorotation to an orchard. The helicopter impacted the ground and trees before coming to rest on its left side. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the left fuel tank’s gas cap was missing. A search in the direction of the helicopter’s flight path located a piece of tail rotor blade and the fuel cap, which had separated into two pieces. Additionally, the fuel cap’s gasket was missing. It could not be determined if the gasket was on the fuel cap before the cap separated from the helicopter. The impact marks on the fuel cap and tail rotor blade piece were consistent with the fuel cap coming into contact with the tail rotor blade.
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
- Part(s) separation from AC during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Flight control sys malf/fail during enroute (cruise)
- Autorotation Off-field or emergency landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › (general) › Not specified
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Flight crew
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,922 hours in all; 8,422 in this make and model; 102 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 11,922 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 230 hours in all; 171 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 77 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 31, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,925 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 29, 2011
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Heliflight Leasing LLC
The flight
- Departed from: 1K8 Bulverde Airprk TX
- Destination: 1K8 Bulverde Airprk TX
- Flight plan: not recorded
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 15 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from KSAT, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.