Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA accident near Lansing, Illinois, June 3, 2013
On June 3, 2013 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, registered N2318X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lansing, Illinois (Lansing Municipal 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
Improper control inputs by the pilot-receiving-instruction and the inability of the flight instructor to correct the control inputs in sufficient time to avoid the hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 3, 2013 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Lansing, Illinois · Lansing Municipal · 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
- N2318X · no longer on the register · serial 2029
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot receiving instruction was demonstrating a 180-degree autorotation at the time of the accident and inadvertently overshot the intended ground target point. After rolling out of the turn, the pilot receiving instruction did not flare properly and, instead, increased collective until reaching the control stop resulting in a loss of main rotor speed. The flight instructor was unable to correct the pilot’s control inputs in time to prevent a hard landing. The landing skids collapsed, and the helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail boom and fuselage. The flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures associated with 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
- Autorotation Hard landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Prop/rotor parameters › Not attained/maintained
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 900 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 850 as pilot in command; 410 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 13, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 163 hours in all; 73 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 98 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 8, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,302 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 28, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Lakeshore Helicopter LLC
The flight
- Departed from: IGQ Lansing IL at 10:00 pm
- Destination: IGQ Lansing IL
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 11:15 pm from IGQ, 1 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.