Robinson R22 Beta accident near Provo, Utah, May 23, 2005
On May 23, 2005 at about 6:10 pm local time, a Robinson R22 Beta (helicopter), registered N553SH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Provo, Utah (Provo Municipal Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the dual student’s failure to maintain adequate rotor rpm and the inadequate supervision by the instructor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 2005 · about 6:10 pm local time
- Place
- Provo, Utah · Provo Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 Beta · all R22 Betas on the register
- Registration
- N553SH · no longer on the register · serial 3574
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and student pilot were practicing hovering with the student controlling the cyclic. The helicopter began to oscillate and drift to the right. The student put in more right cyclic and then released the controls when the LOW ROTOR RPM warning sounded. The instructor took the controls and attempted to recover but the aircraft struck terrain and rolled over. Damage to the aircraft included a severed tail boom, shattered windscreen, buckled rotor mast, and wrinkled skin.
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: 260 hours in all; 260 in this make and model; 82 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days; 177 as pilot in command; 36 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 8 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,435.3 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 1, 2005; 3.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-360-J2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVU Provo UT at 5:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from PVU, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.