Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA accident near Scranton, South Carolina, October 24, 2009
On October 24, 2009 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, registered N822U, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi near Scranton, South Carolina (Cockfield Aerodrome). It was an instructional 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 failure to maintain control of the helicopter.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 24, 2009 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Scranton, South Carolina · Cockfield Aerodrome · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA · all R22 BETAs on the register
- Registration
- N822U · no longer on the register · serial 0917
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter pilot stated that he had just completed the first leg of a three-stop cross country flight. After landing, and hover-taxied toward the runway and performed a left pedal turn to observe the windsock. The pilot lost control of the helicopter, the tail rotor struck an embankment parallel to the runway, "which resulted in a 180-degree spin to the left and dynamic rollover." The helicopter came to rest on its left side, and incurred substantial damage to the fuselage, tail boom, and rotor blades. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter prior to the accident. He further stated that the accident could have been avoided by performance of the clearing turn farther from the embankment.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during taxi defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during taxi
- Dynamic rollover during taxi
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 267 hours in all; 267 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 218 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 17, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,397 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 20, 2009; 2 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: V T Whitlock INC
The flight
- Departed from: 51J Lake South SC at 7:15 pm
- Destination: SC60 Scranton SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04, 2,800 ft by 66 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; scat at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.75 inHg
- Observation at 8:15 pm from CKI, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.