Robinson R22 - BETA accident near Chicago, Illinois, October 2, 2013
On October 2, 2013 at about 10:15 pm local time, a 1990 Robinson R22 - BETA (helicopter), registered N554SA, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (hover) near Chicago, Illinois (Lansing Muni 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
The flight instructor's failure to take remedial action in a timely manner.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 2, 2013 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Chicago, Illinois · Lansing Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 - BETA BETA, built 1990 · all R22 - BETAs on the register
- Registration
- N554SA · no longer on the register · serial 1618
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot stated they had been practicing hovering for about 30 minutes, and were about two feet above the ground. He recalled that he was "controlling the cyclic and maybe the collective, but not the pedals." The flight instructor thought they were three to five feet above the ground. The helicopter experienced a pendular motion and began traveling backwards and to the right. The right skid made contact with the ground, which resulted in the tail impacting the ground and the helicopter rolling onto its side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail rotor.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during prior to flight
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering (hover) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (hover)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 3 hours in all; 3 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 507 hours in all; 242 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: March 30, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor TSIO-520 SER (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sun Aero Helicopters INC
The flight
- Departed from: IGQ Chicago IL
- Destination: IGQ Chicago IL
- Flight plan: not recorded
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 10:15 pm from IGQ
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.