Robinson R22 Beta accident near Crete, Illinois, July 1, 2005
On July 1, 2005 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Robinson R22 Beta (helicopter), registered N997SA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crete, Illinois. 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 separation of the drive belt, during cruise, leading to the puncturing of the oil cooler and subsequent fire. An additional cause was the pilot's restricted lookout during the emergency landing resulting in the hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 2005 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Crete, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 Beta · all R22 Betas on the register
- Registration
- N997SA · no longer on the register · serial 1029
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter sustained substantial damage following an in-flight fire, hard landing, and subsequent ground fire. The pilot's accident report stated, "We were flying ... when I noticed clutch light on. The light stayed on for longer than 7 [seconds] and my decision was to pull clutch circuit breaker to save other belt. I took over the controls when the clutch light went on and I started to set my self up for emergency landing. ... At the same time I noticed smoke inside the cockpit and the smoke was filling inside fast. ... At about 1100 MSL I noticed low rpm light and horn went on, so I lowered the collective and entered autorotation. ... We exited the aircraft and could see the flames above the belts about 3 feet tall." Burnt pieces of alternator and drive belts were recovered from the site. A separated section of a recovered drive belt measured about a foot in length. The bottom quarter of the dipstick had oil on it when removed. The oil cooler exhibited damage on its lower and inboard surfaces, along the aft edge. The lower aft corner of the cooler was separated at its seam there. A dark media covered the engine in the area adjacent to the oil cooler. An oil like media was found on the tail rotor's guard and on the vertical stabilizer. The tailcone was burned away at its forward end. No pre-impact failures of the flight control system were found. The landing gear exhibited downward yielding.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 348 hours in all; 290 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 260 as pilot in command; 76 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,398 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2005; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: IGQ Chicago IL at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 8 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 6:25 pm from IGQ
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.