Robinson R22 accident near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, October 30, 1983
On October 30, 1983 at about 1:58 pm local time, a Robinson R22 (helicopter), registered N9074Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (Wiley Post airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 30, 1983 · about 1:58 pm local time
- Place
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma · Wiley Post · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 · all R22s on the register
- Registration
- N9074Y · registry record · serial 0241
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE INTENDED TO PRACTICE HOVERING WITHIN THE ARPT BOUNDRIES. ACCORDING TO HIM, AS THE RPM WAS INCREASED TO 100% FOR LIFT-OFF, THE RIGHT SKID CAME OFF THE GROUND, BUT THE LEFT SKID WAS 'EVIDENTLY STUCK IN THE SOFT GROUND.' RIGHT CYCLIC WAS APPLIED AS THE LEFT SKID CAME FREE FROM THE SOFT TERRAIN. THE PLT SAID THAT THIS RESULTED IN AN UNUSUALLY STEEP BANK TO THE RIGHT. LEFT CYCLIC WAS THEN APPLIED IN AN UNSUCCESSFUL EFFORT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE ACFT. THE PLT REPORTED THE ENG RPM THEN BEGAN DECREASING & DIRECTOINAL CONTROL WAS LOST. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER SETTLED BACK TO THE GROUND & ROLLED OVER ON ITS SIDE.
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: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 863 hours in all; 745 in this make and model; 88 in the last 90 days; 788 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 874 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:51 pm from PWA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N9074Y the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 FTW84LA036.