Robinson R22 BETA accident near Jonesboro, Arkansas, October 21, 1999
On October 21, 1999 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Robinson R22 BETA (helicopter), registered N2301C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jonesboro, Arkansas (Jonesboro Municipal 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's delay in taking remedial action to recover from a low rotor rpm situation. A factor was the student's failure to maintain adequate rotor rpm.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 21, 1999 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Jonesboro, Arkansas · Jonesboro Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 BETA · all R22 BETAs on the register
- Registration
- N2301C · no longer on the register · serial 1926
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter-rated student performed a takeoff, and at 500 feet agl, the flight instructor 'initiated a throttle roll-off.' The student then entered an autorotation, during which time the instructor was 'riding the controls.' Approximately 250 feet agl, the low rotor horn sounded, and the low rotor light illuminated. The flight instructor reported that the student decreased the collective, 'but it was too small of an amount too late.' The flight instructor then initiated a go-around and 'released back pressure on the cyclic, decreased the collective, and rolled the throttle on, but the engine did not respond. The engine needle remained at idle.' The helicopter was descending through 75 feet agl when the flight instructor 'lowered the collective and initiated a hard flare.' The helicopter impacted the ground, and the main rotor blades contacted and severed the tail boom. The engine was test run and operated within the manufacturer's specifications.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 4,000 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 7,900 as pilot in command; 5,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,128 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 26, 1999; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Tony Bonham Helicopters INC.
The flight
- Departed from: JBR at 6:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N2301C 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.