Robinson R22A accident near Eden Prairie, Minnesota, August 7, 1986
On August 7, 1986 at about 11:10 pm local time, a Robinson R22A (helicopter), registered N8556M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eden Prairie, Minnesota (Flying Cloud 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
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 October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 1986 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- Eden Prairie, Minnesota · Flying Cloud Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22A · all R22As on the register
- Registration
- N8556M · no longer on the register · serial 0451
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI REPORTED THAT UPON LIFTOFF, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN DRIFT LEFT. WHEN HE TRIED TO CORRECT THIS CONDITION HE FOUND THAT HE COULD NOT MOVE THE CYCLIC TO THE RIGHT. WHILE DRIFTING TO THE LEFT, THE LEFT REAR SKID HIT THE GROUND, THE AIRCRAFT TILTED BACK AND THE TAILROTOR STRUCK THE GROUND. THE CFI LATER REPORTED THAT THE CYCLIC COULD NOT BE MOVED TO THE RIGHT BECAUSE THE STUDENT PILOTS LEG WAS CAUGHT BETWEEN THE CYCLIC AND THE VENT DOOR. WHEN THE STUDENT TRIED TO PULL HIS LEG BACK OUT OF THE WAY, HE ALSO PULLED THE CYCLIC BACK.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 839 hours in all; 558 in this make and model; 251 in the last 90 days; 712 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 738 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 3, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from FCM
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.