Robinson R22 accident near Grand Prairie, Texas, March 8, 1983
On March 8, 1983, a Robinson R22 (helicopter), registered N8373J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Prairie, Texas (Grand Prairie 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 8, 1983
- Place
- Grand Prairie, Texas · Grand Prairie · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 · all R22s on the register
- Registration
- N8373J · no longer on the register · serial 318
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT & FLT EXAMINER WERE ON AN EVALUATION FLT AFTER THE PLT'S FLT INSTRUCTOR HAD RECOMMENDED HIM FOR A CFI CHECK FLT. TO DEMONSTRATE A HOVERING AUTOROTATION, THE PLT HAD SELECTED AN AREA OF SOFT TURF THAT SLOPTED DOWNHILL. THE EXAMINER STATED THAT AFTER THE PLT CLOSED THE THROTTLE, THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED NORMALLY; HOWEVER, THE PLT APPLIED EXCESSIVE COLLECTIVE PITCH. THE EXAMINER REPORTED THAT AT THE MOMENT OF TOUCHDOWN, THE HELICOPTER RESPONDED TO COLLECTIVE INPUT, CAME OFF THE GROUND IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE, THEN TOUCHED DOWN ON THE TOES OF THE SKIDS ROLLED & OVER. REPORTEDLY, THE EXAMINER GRABBED FOR THE CYCLIC IN AN INSTINCTIVE EFFORT TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER, BUT MISSED THE HANDLE DUE TO THE UNIQUE CONTROL CONFIGURATION OF ACFT. THE PLT'S HELICOPTER TRAINING HAD BEEN IN 2 ROBINSON R22'S, THE NEWER OF WHICH WAS EQUIPPED WITH THE HEAVIER HP ROTOR BLADES. THE HP BLADES HAD A DIFFERENT AFFECT ON THE HELICOPTER'S RESPONSE & FLT CHARACTERISTICS DURING AUTOROTATIONS.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 909 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 208 in the last 90 days; 835 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 212 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 3, 1983; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 10 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 55°F (13°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 N8373J 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.