Robinson R22 Beta accident near Brook, Indiana, April 25, 2006
On April 25, 2006 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Robinson R22 Beta (helicopter), registered N7197K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brook, Indiana. It was a business 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's intentional decision to leave the helicopter unattended with the engines running which resulted in a dynamic rollover. The inadvertent dynamic rollover was a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 25, 2006 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Brook, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 Beta · all R22 Betas on the register
- Registration
- N7197K · no longer on the register · serial 3178
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
In a telephone interview, the pilot reported that he had flown the helicopter to Brook, Indiana, in order to perform cleanup following a previous truck spill. He stated that he completed the cleanup and had taken the material and placed them in garbage bags and then placed the garbage bags in the helicopter. He said that he had started the helicopter and had either just lifted off, or was preparing to lift off when he saw one of his waste hauling trucks. He stated that he decided to have the truck transport the cleanup materials and he removed them from the helicopter and gave them to the truck driver. He said that as he was returning to the helicopter, he could hear the "RPM's" increasing. He decided that it would not be safe to approach the helicopter and decided to stay at a safe distance. He said that about 15 seconds later, the helicopter pivoted on it's right landing skid and rolled on it's side. He stated that when he left the helicopter, he had lowered the collective, and applied the friction locks.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Brook IN at 9:30 pm
- Destination: C56 Monee IL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.