Robinson R22 accident near Marlboro, Massachusetts, April 10, 2011
On April 10, 2011 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Robinson R22 (helicopter), registered N791SH, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (hover) near Marlboro, Massachusetts (Marlboro Airport). 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 student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 10, 2011 · about 1:30 pm local time · cases in 2011
- Place
- Marlboro, Massachusetts · Marlboro Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 BETA · all R22s on the register
- Registration
- N791SH · registry record · serial 3637
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot stated that prior to departure for a solo cross-country flight, his flight instructor informed him he would notice extra aft weight when lifting off as this would be his first time flying the helicopter solo with full fuel tanks. The student pilot stated that as the helicopter became light on its skids, he felt it tilt aft, and corrected with the application of cyclic and anti-torque pedals. As he raised the collective and lifted off the ground, the helicopter turned to the right, and he immediately lowered the collective and set the helicopter back down. The helicopter's tail skid impacted the ground, and the helicopter sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer. The student pilot stated there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the helicopter, and that the right turn may have been prevented by additional left anti-torque pedal application.
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 in flight during maneuvering (hover) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience w/ equipment › Pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 189 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 75 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 14, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,579 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 28, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-J2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 9B1 Marlboro MA
- Destination: 9B1 Marlboro MA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 1:56 pm from BED, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on June 20, 2011. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Weather Reports and Records | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | NTSB Report Supplement, Helicopter Operator Information | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N791SH on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Robinson R22 817 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-J2A 254 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in Massachusetts 987 since 1982 · 90 in the last ten years
- Massachusetts 2,646 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA11CA235.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.