Robinson R22 accident near Venice, Florida, December 1, 2015
On December 1, 2015 at about 8:30 pm local time, a 1985 Robinson R22 (helicopter), registered N8560M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Venice, Florida. It was an instructional 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 flight instructor's failure to maintain control of the helicopter during an autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 1, 2015 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Venice, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 UNDESIGNAT, built 1985 · all R22s on the register
- Registration
- N8560M · registry record · serial 0476
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor was preparing the pilot for her commercial rotorcraft-helicopter practical test. The instructor stated that they were returning to the airport when the engine shut down. The instructor entered an autorotation, which terminated in a hard landing. The instructor stated that he assumed the pilot pulled the mixture control instead of the carburetor heat because he saw it pulled after the helicopter came to a full stop on the ground; however, he never actually saw her pull the mixture control. The pilot stated that the instructor rolled the throttle to idle to simulate an in-flight loss of engine power as part of her checkride preparation. Both she and the instructor were operating the controls for the autorotation. The pilot said she was not sure what happened, but they landed hard and a section of windscreen popped out. She then pulled the mixture to shut off the engine, while the instructor used the rotor brake to stop the main rotor blades. The pilot exited the helicopter to recover the windshield and was subsequently struck in the head by a main rotor blade. Although the instructor's and pilot's accounts varied regarding the events leading up to the autorotation, they both reported that the autorotation ended in a hard landing, and that there were no mechanical issues with the helicopter or the engine that contributed to the accident.
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
- Autorotation Hard landing defining event
- AC/prop/rotor contact w person during after landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 700 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 650 as pilot in command; 400 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 16, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 150 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,358.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 9, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 1,369 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 1,744 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VNC Venice FL at 7:30 pm
- Destination: VNC Venice FL
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 8:35 pm from VNC, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N8560M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.