Robinson Helicopter CO R66 accident near Fort Worth, Texas, May 27, 2026
On May 27, 2026 at about 1:48 pm local time, a 2025 Robinson Helicopter CO R66, registered N5488H, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (hover) near Fort Worth, Texas (Perot Fld/Fort Worth Alliance airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor’s delayed remedial action and the student pilot’s failure to maintain helicopter control during hover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 27, 2026 · about 1:48 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Worth, Texas · Perot Fld/Fort Worth Alliance · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter CO R66, built 2025
- Registration
- N5488H · registry record · serial 1639
- 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 his student was practicing hovering in the helicopter. While hovering, the helicopter began to “slide down and to the left”. As the flight instructor gave verbal instructions to the student, the helicopter yawed to the right as the collective was pulled and moved to the left toward the ground. He said he remembered the left skid contacted the ground as he attempted to recover. The flight instructor believed that the skid caught on a crack in the pavement which resulted in the helicopter rolling to its left side. The student pilot reported that while hovering the helicopter started to “veer to the right” and the instructor said, “my controls”. Just at that moment the helicopter rolled onto its side. The operator reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. In response to the accident, the operator instituted an internal review of hovering instruction methodologies, instructor intervention strategies, and low-hover risk mitigation procedures associated with primary and transition helicopter training. The organization implemented enhanced standardization measures focused on instructor recognition of early rollover precursors, intervention timing, verbal cuing techniques, and defined control transfer protocols during hover operations. Additional emphasis on dynamic rollover awareness, critical rollover angle recognition, and instructor decision-making during low altitude training events were also implemented.
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
- Dynamic rollover during maneuvering (hover) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,156 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 1,062 as pilot in command; 730 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
Pilot
- Flight time: 10 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 0 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 330 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 4, 2026; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,700 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls Royce 250-C300A/1 (turboshaft); 330 hours total
- Operator: Helicopter Institute, Inc.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 am from KAFW
Weather report (METAR): METAR KAFW 261353Z 14006KT 10SM FEW050 SCT120 BKN250 23/19 A2994 RMK AO2 PRESRR SLP116 T02280194 PNO $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on September 11, 2026. 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 | Flight Instructor Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Student Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photographs | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 4 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 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.