Robinson R-22 accident near Wabash, Indiana, August 12, 1983
On August 12, 1983 at about 11:30 am local time, a Robinson R-22 (helicopter), registered N9031F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wabash, Indiana. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 1983 · about 11:30 am local time · cases in 1983
- Place
- Wabash, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R-22 · all R-22s on the register
- Registration
- N9031F · registry record · serial 007
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AUTOROTATION PRACTICE, WHEN THE PILOT ROLLED THE THROTTLE OFF, THE ENGINE QUIT. AN ENGINE RESTART WAS ATTEMPTED. THIS TIME LAPSE ALLOWED THE ROTOR RPM TO DECAY AND A PROPER AUTOROTATION COULD NOT BE DONE IN THEREMAINING ALTITUDE. THE ACFT LANDED HARD HITTING A FARM FENCE AND ROLLING OVER. BEFORE TAKEOFF THE PILOT DID NOT TOP OFFTHE FUEL BUT ESTIMATED 15 GALLONS ABOARD. THREE DAYS AFTER THE CRASH THERE WAS NO FUEL IN THE TANK OR THE FUEL SYSTEM. THERE WERE NO FUEL STAINS ON THE OVERTURNED FUSELAGE. THERE DID SEEM TO BE SOME EVIDENCE OF FUEL SMELL ON THE GROUND. INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL ANYTHING TO PREVENT NORMAL OPERATION.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 819 hours in all; 331 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 819 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 804 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 20, 1982; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AO-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°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.
Other NTSB records under N9031F the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N9031F on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Robinson R22 817 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Engine: Lycoming AO-320-A2B · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in Indiana 1,367 since 1982 · 179 in the last ten years
- Indiana 5,700 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N9031F 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CHI83FET01.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.