Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA accident near Springfield, Missouri, December 21, 2024
On December 21, 2024 at about 9:27 pm local time, a 2006 Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, registered N3104U, was destroyed in an accident during standing (engine(s) operating) near Springfield, Missouri (Downtown Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s failure to maintain control of the helicopter while turning on the blower fan switch after landing that resulted in a dynamic rollover sequence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 21, 2024 · about 9:27 pm local time
- Place
- Springfield, Missouri · Downtown Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, built 2006 · all R22 BETAs on the register
- Registration
- N3104U · registry record · serial 4061
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported having completed one flight around the airport traffic pattern with a flight instructor in preparation for the student pilot’s first solo flight. They then landed near a fixed base operator at the airport, and the flight instructor exited the helicopter. The student pilot took off and practiced hovering, hovering taxi, and flew three airport traffic patterns before returning to the grass area at the airport for additional hover and hover taxi practice. The windshield began to fog during the additional practice, so the student pilot landed the helicopter to turn the blower fan switch on, but did not engage the collective friction or reduce the engine power. The student pilot said he had never used the blower fan switch, and it took a couple of seconds to locate, during which time the helicopter rolled right, and the main rotor blades contacted the ground. The helicopter came to rest on its left side. The blower fan switch is located near the floor between the pilot’s legs. The helicopter was destroyed by its impact with the ground. The student pilot stated there was no mechanical malfunctions/failures of 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
- Miscellaneous/other during standing (engine(s) operating)
- Loss of control on ground during standing (engine(s) operating) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during standing (engine(s) operating)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, student
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 5,300 hours in all; 27.3 in this make and model; 5,100 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 20, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,254 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 24, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-J2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: So Fly Flight Training Academy, LLC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.33 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 pm from SGF, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N3104U the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN25LA063.