Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA accident near Orlando, Florida, July 17, 2022
On July 17, 2022 at about 4:30 pm local time, a 2001 Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, registered N224MG, was substantially damaged in an accident during standing (engine(s) start-up) near Orlando, Florida (Kissimmee Gateway airport). It was an instructional 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor’s inadequate remedial actions following the student pilot’s improper control inputs, which resulted in dynamic rollover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 2022 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Orlando, Florida · Kissimmee Gateway · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, built 2001 · all R22 BETAs on the register
- Registration
- N224MG · registry record · serial 3276
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that the student pilot was practicing “pickups and set downs” in the helicopter for the day’s lesson. He said in his statement that the student had a tendency to pull up quickly on the collective and allow the helicopter to drift to the left then yaw to the right after liftoff. He cautioned the student on the hazards of dynamic rollover during the lesson. The student’s performance improved, and she asked to perform one more pickup. During the last attempt, a dynamic rollover occurred and the helicopter pivoted around the left skid as it was still on the ground. The helicopter came to rest on its left side. The impact with the ground resulted in substantial damage to the main rotor blades, tail boom and fuselage. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Dynamic rollover during standing (engine(s) start-up) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Not attained/maintained
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,966 hours in all; 706 in this make and model; 121 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 1,771 as pilot in command; 649 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 1, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 13 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,296 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 29, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-J2A (piston); 691 hours total
- Operator: Maxflight Helicopter Services
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 12:56 pm from KISM
Weather report (METAR): KISM 171656Z 15009KT 10SM CLR 32/23 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP174 T03170228 PNO $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 ERA22LA328.