Robinson R22 accident near Miami, Florida, March 28, 2010
On March 28, 2010 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Robinson R22 (helicopter), registered N72377, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Miami, Florida. It was a personal 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
A loss of main rotor rpm for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 28, 2010 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 BETA · all R22s on the register
- Registration
- N72377 · no longer on the register · serial 1902
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated flight instructor (CFI) and his passenger were flying about 2 miles offshore. The helicopter had just completed a turn at about 100 feet above the water when the low main rotor rpm horn sounded. When an adjustment of the throttle failed to remedy the situation, the CFI entered an autorotation. The tail of the helicopter stuck the water during the flare, which resulted in the helicopter entering an uncontrollable spin. The helicopter immediately sank and at the time of this writing, has not been located or recovered. The helicopter’s flight manual showed that at the time of the accident, the flight was being operated within a region of performance in the height-velocity diagram that the manufacturer recommended avoiding. A review of the helicopter’s maintenance records did not reveal any discrepancies with the helicopter prior to the accident flight.
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 lift during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Autorotation Ditching
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Main rotor system › Main rotor blade system › Not specified
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 790 hours in all; 785 in this make and model; 262 in the last 90 days; 72 in the last 30 days; 739 as pilot in command; 489 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 31, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 172 hours in all; 159 in this make and model; 110 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,485 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 26, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HWO Hollywood FL at 4:00 pm
- Destination: HWO Hollywood FL
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,300 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from MIA, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.