Robinson R-22 accident near Maryland Height, Missouri, September 10, 2002
On September 10, 2002 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Robinson R-22 (helicopter), registered N8372B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Maryland Height, Missouri (Creve Coeur Airport). 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
Dynamic rollover due to the flight instructor's improper control inputs and the flight instructor's unsuccessful remedial actions. A contributing factor is the passenger's inadvertent movement of the cyclic control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 10, 2002 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Maryland Height, Missouri · Creve Coeur Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R-22 · all R-22s on the register
- Registration
- N8372B · no longer on the register · serial 330
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter impacted the terrain while hovering and rolled over. The certified flight instructor reported that he was giving an introductory hovering demonstration lesson. He reported, "Helicopter caught a gust. Passenger accidentally pushed the cyclic to left. Instructor pilot was surprised and tried to grab the cyclic back. It was to late, left skid touched the ground and the helicopter had a dynamic rollover."
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,210 hours in all; 816 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2
Dual student
No details recorded.
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1H0 Maryland Height MO at 2:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.