Robinson R-22B accident near Tomball, Texas, September 23, 2000
On September 23, 2000 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Robinson R-22B (helicopter), registered N7183X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tomball, Texas (David Wayne Hooks airport). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's abrupt lowering of the collective. Factors were the student pilot's lack of experience in helicopters and the CFI's delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 23, 2000 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Tomball, Texas · David Wayne Hooks · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R-22B · all R-22Bs on the register
- Registration
- N7183X · registry record · serial 2887
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor (CFI) reported that the helicopter was in a 3-foot hover with the student pilot on the controls, when the aircraft began to drift 'slightly' to the right. As the CFI started to correct by applying left cyclic, the student 'abruptly' lowered the collective. Subsequently, the right skid contacted the ground and the helicopter rolled over to the right. A ground impression, corresponding to the right skid was found after the accident. The helicopter's tail boom and main rotor drive system were destroyed and cabin was substantially damaged. The student pilot had received about 4 hours of helicopter instruction at the time of the accident. He held a commercial airman's certificate with single and multi-engine airplane ratings, and was a certified flight instructor for single and multi-engine airplanes.
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
- IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER during hover - in ground effect
- ROLL OVER during landing
Pilot
- Ratings: none, helicopter, none, helicopter
- Flight time: 722 hours in all; 620 in this make and model; 205 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days; 612 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 2
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,615 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 21, 2000; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-J2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: DWH at 7:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 95°C, dew point 0°C
- Altimeter: 29 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
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 FTW00LA269.