Robinson Helicopter CO R66 accident near Graford, Texas, February 19, 2026
On February 19, 2026, a 2022 Robinson Helicopter CO R66, registered N940BH, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Graford, Texas (Private Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient rotor speed during a practice autorotation to soft terrain which resulted in a loss of control and roll over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 19, 2026
- Place
- Graford, Texas · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter CO R66, built 2022
- Registration
- N940BH · registry record · serial 1192
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed for a short flight to his own private landing area. While approaching to land, he initiated a practice autorotation toward the hangar. During the descent, all indications appeared normal. As the pilot started the flare and increased the throttle, the low rotor RPM warning activated. He continued the flare to reduce forward speed and the low rotor RPM warning sounded again. At this point, the pilot elected to perform a run-on landing. He lowered the nose of the helicopter to level the skids. The ground was soft due to recent rain and after the helicopter skidded about 15 feet, the left skid dug into the soft ground, and the helicopter tilted forward, and the main rotor blades contacted the ground. The helicopter rolled onto its left side and the tail boom separated which resulted in substantial damage to the main and tail rotor blades. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies with the helicopter which would have precluded normal operations.
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
- Simulated/training event during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Roll over during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action selection › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Wet/muddy terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,584.2 hours in all; 665.5 in this make and model; 44.8 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days; 1,553.7 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 7, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 582.9 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 2, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 2,700 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royc 250-C300/A1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N/A Mineral Wells TX at 11:58 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.64 inHg
- Observation at 6:00 pm from MWL, 13 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KMWL 182353Z AUTO 19012KT 10SM CLR 22/01 A2964 RMK AO2 SLP029 T02220006 10261 20211 56021
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 CEN26LA119.