Robinson Helicopter Company R22 accident near Alexander City, Alabama, November 1, 2012
On November 1, 2012 at about 8:46 pm local time, a Robinson Helicopter Company R22, registered N231TM, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Alexander City, Alabama (Thomas C. Russel Field Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s delayed decision to initiate an autorotation and her subsequent improper conduct of the autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing, after the helicopter started vibrating for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examinations revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 1, 2012 · about 8:46 pm local time
- Place
- Alexander City, Alabama · Thomas C. Russel Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter Company R22
- Registration
- N231TM · registry record · serial 2317M
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After departure, the helicopter began to vibrate at an altitude of about 300 feet above ground level (agl). The pilot chose to return to the airport to perform a precautionary landing. The pilot initiated an autorotation about 100 feet agl at an airspeed of between 45 to 50 knots but could not control the helicopter. The pilot applied aft cyclic to flare the helicopter; however, it did not lose airspeed. The low rotor rpm aural warning activated during the maneuver, and the helicopter subsequently landed hard and rolled over on its right side. Postaccident examinations of the engine and airframe did not reveal any anomalies that would have caused the vibration the helicopter experienced after takeoff. If the pilot had initiated the autorotation sooner, she may have had adequate airspeed to establish the glide and a sufficient amount of rotor rpm to cushion the landing and retain positive control of the helicopter.
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
- Unknown or undetermined during initial climb
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Autorotation Hard landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,165 hours in all; 1,165 in this make and model; 163 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 994 as pilot in command; 768 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 29, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 300 hours in all; 270 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 200 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 15, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 788 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 14, 2012; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ALX Alexander City AL at 8:43 pm
- Destination: K16J Dawson GA
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 7 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from ALX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA13LA045.