Robinson R22 accident near Danbury, Texas, June 28, 2019
On June 28, 2019 at about 4:32 pm local time, a 1988 Robinson R22 (helicopter), registered N26498, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Danbury, Texas. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A failed electrical relay, which provided an improper indication of a governor and clutch problem, which resulted in the pilot conducting a precautionary landing during which he failed to maintain sufficient main rotor speed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 28, 2019 · about 4:32 pm local time
- Place
- Danbury, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 BETA, built 1988 · all R22s on the register
- Registration
- N26498 · registry record · serial 0836
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting low-altitude pollination operations over a rice field when the governor caution light and the clutch caution light illuminated in succession; in response, the pilot reduced engine power. While landing in the field, the main rotor blades drooped and hit the tail cone, substantially damaging the helicopter. Postaccident inspection found that a failed electrical relay caused the governor light to illuminate, but the electrical relay by itself would not affect governor operation. No other anomalies were found with the helicopter, including the clutch system, that would have precluded normal operation. The accident sequence is consistent with the pilot responding to the governor caution light by reducing power but then letting the main rotor speed decaying too much during landing, such that the main rotor blades drooped and hit the tail cone.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Prop/rotor parameters › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Indicating/recording systems › Instrument panel › Malfunction
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Electrical power system › (general) › Inoperative
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,100 hours in all; 850 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: January 23, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,369 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Standard Aviation Svcs
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on September 9, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Record of Conversation - Mechanic | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Mechanic Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N26498 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.