Robinson R-22 accident near Augusta, Kansas, March 24, 1991
On March 24, 1991 at about 8:34 pm local time, a Robinson R-22 (helicopter), registered N2503A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Augusta, Kansas (Augusta 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
AN IMPROPER AUTOROTATION WAS PERFORMED BY THE DUAL STUDENT AND REMEDIAL ACTION WAS DELAYED BY THE CFI. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: INADEQUATE AIRSPEED AND ROTOR RPM.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 24, 1991 · about 8:34 pm local time
- Place
- Augusta, Kansas · Augusta · 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
- N2503A · registry record · serial 595
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR PLT SAID THAT WHILE TEACHING AND PRACTICING STRAIGHT AHEAD AUTOROTATION LANDING, ROTOR RPM AND AIRSPEED DECAYED AND BEFORE CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD WHICH RESULTED IN THE MAIN ROTOR FLEXING DOWNWARD AND SEVERING THE TAIL BOOM.
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: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 753 hours in all; 635 in this make and model; 106 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 681 as pilot in command; 256 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Kansas Copters & Wings INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 1,500 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 20 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 8:44 pm from ICT, 20 miles away
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.