Robinson Helicopter Company R22 MARINER accident near Parrottsville, Tennessee, November 13, 2024
On November 13, 2024 at about 4:30 pm local time, a 1991 Robinson Helicopter Company R22 MARINER, registered N178EP, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Parrottsville, Tennessee. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the helicopter during a precautionary, off-airport landing to sloping terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 13, 2024 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Parrottsville, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter Company R22 MARINER, built 1991
- Registration
- N178EP · no longer on the register · serial 1918
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot of the helicopter stated she was flying on her first solo cross-county flight. She flew to the first destination airport, which was about 30 minutes away, and made three uneventful approaches to land before departing the airspace and fly to another airport and practice some more approaches. She stated that about 15 minutes out from the next airport, she was having problems getting the correct frequency dialed into the radio and the helicopter felt “light” on the controls. She further described that the engine was running normally and all engine controls were functioning as expected. She then decided to make a precautionary landing in a field. During landing, she was focused on the helicopter’s instruments, did not look outside at the ground, and did not notice the field was slopped. One of the helicopter’s skids contacted the ground with a sideways motion, and the helicopter began to spin. The tail rotor subsequently contacted the ground and the helicopter rolled over on its left side resulting in substantial damage to the tail rotor and tail boom. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of 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
- Loss of control in flight during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 47 hours in all; 47 in this make and model; 8 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,086 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 17, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 3,002 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TRI Bristol TN at 3:30 pm
- Destination: GCY Greenville TN
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.24 inHg
- Observation at 11:35 am from DKX, 41 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KDKX 131635Z AUTO VRB03KT 10SM CLR 17/07 A3024 RMK A01
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on June 13, 2025. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.