Robinson Helicopter Company R22 MARINER accident near Hollywood, Florida, July 27, 2022
On July 27, 2022 at about 5:45 pm local time, a 1990 Robinson Helicopter Company R22 MARINER, registered N42WC, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (hover) near Hollywood, Florida (North Perry airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Inadequate maintenance of the helicopter’s tail rotor blades, which resulted in a failure of the tail rotor drive system, and an inflight loss of yaw control from which the flight instructor was unable to recover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 2022 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Hollywood, Florida · North Perry · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter Company R22 MARINER, built 1990
- Registration
- N42WC · registry record · serial 1531M
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instructor reported hearing a popping and banging sound while hover-taxiing during an instructional flight followed by an uncommanded right yaw. The instructor attempted to regain control, but the helicopter collided with the ground and rolled over onto its right side. Postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed that the tail rotor gearbox had fractured and that the tail rotor assembly had separated from the helicopter. Additional examination of the tail rotor blades, which had remained attached to the tail rotor drive shaft and gearbox, revealed corrosion and interior delamination of the blades. There was also erosion present on the blade leading edges, which likely provided a path for moisture to ingress, thereby resulting in the observed corrosion as well the failure of the bonding adhesive within the blade. It is likely that this condition resulted in an imbalance of the blades that imparted a vibratory loading onto the tail rotor gearbox that ultimately resulted in its failure during the accident flight. Review of partial maintenance records provided by the operator revealed that the tail rotor blades installed on the accident helicopter were not the blades that were noted in the maintenance logbooks, and the service history of the installed blades could not be determined.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
- Flight control sys malf/fail during maneuvering (hover) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Tail rotor › Tail rotor blade › Failure
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Scheduled/routine inspection › Maintenance personnel
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, remote
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 669 hours in all; 669 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 579 as pilot in command; 83 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 22, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 0 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,975.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 27, 2021; 391 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 6,584 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from HWO
Weather report (METAR): 271753Z 12011KT 10SM FEW030 FEW038 32/23 A3013 RMK AO2 SLP203 T03220233 10322 20261 5800
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on January 4, 2024. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record - FAA Inspector Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector's Maintenance Records Review Summary | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Maintenance Record Excerpt (Annual Inspection) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Tail Rotor Blade Examination Report | PDF, 12 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Investigative Photos | 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.
Other NTSB records under N42WC 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.