Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA accident near Cedar Lake, Indiana, June 19, 2023
On June 19, 2023 at about 6:07 pm local time, a 1991 Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, registered N4076H, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Cedar Lake, Indiana. 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 failure of the flight instructor to attain/maintain aircraft control while maneuvering, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and impact with the lake.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 19, 2023 · about 6:07 pm local time
- Place
- Cedar Lake, Indiana · 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, built 1991 · all R22 BETAs on the register
- Registration
- N4076H · registry record · serial 1799
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor stated that when they performed the vortex ring state emergency procedure, the pilot under instruction told him that the helicopter was not producing power. During the descent, the flight controls were then transferred to the flight instructor. The flight instructor stated that the helicopter was not producing power. The flight instructor said he then proceeded to turn northbound to avoid a boat and personnel and landed on a lake. A witness video showed the helicopter descend above the lake and stop the descent in about a 12-15 ft hover. It did a left hover turn for about 90°. The helicopter then stopped turning and appeared to hover taxi forward before it entered a descent. The helicopter skids entered the water and were submerged up to the bottom of the helicopter fuselage. While partially submerged, the helicopter began to rotate to the right and climb out to the bottom of the skids before it rolled left and descended into the water. The video showed that the helicopter was able to hover, perform a hover turn, and attain a partial climb out of the water, all of which demonstrated that the helicopter was not limited in engine performance due to the excess power available to perform these maneuvers. Postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal helicopter operation.
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
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 19,187 hours in all
- Last flight review: September 25, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Flight time: 448 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,841.7 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 25, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Summerskyz INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.91 inHg
- Observation at 12:55 pm from IGQ, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
9 documents, released by the NTSB on May 9, 2024. 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation - Pilot | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum of Record | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | ADS-B Data | map file | Download |
| 5 | Witness Video | MOV file | Download |
| 6 | Record of Examination | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Photo | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Aircraft Logbook Excerpt | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Summerskyz Rental/solo Agreement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.