Robinson R-22 HP accident near San Angelo, Texas, May 5, 1985
On May 5, 1985 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Robinson R-22 HP (helicopter), registered N83745, was destroyed in an accident near San Angelo, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A LOSS OF CONTROL IN FLIGHT FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 1985 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- San Angelo, Texas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R-22 HP · all R-22 HPs on the register
- Registration
- N83745 · no longer on the register · serial 0320
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ATP PILOT WAS PREPARING FOR HIS CFI HELO CHECK FLIGHT. DUAL FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE INSTALLED BEFORE DEPARTURE. THE PASSENGER HAD NO RECORDED FLIGHT EXPERIENCE. ABOUT 8 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE THE HELICOPTER'S MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRUCK AND SEVERED THE TAILBOOM. THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED OUT OF CONTROL AND CRASHED IN ABOUT A 135 DEGREE ANGLE OF BANK. THE IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP RESULTED IN A TRAIL OF WRECKAGE AND PERSONAL ARTICLES ABOUT 1200 FEET LONG. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED EVIDENCE OF MAIN ROTOR BLADE DIVERGENCE, SEVERENCE OF THE TAIL BOOM, AND SEPARATION OF THE MAIN ROTOR MAST AT THE TOP OF THE TRANSMISSION. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION PRIOR TO THE IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,433 hours in all; 115 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 2,111 as pilot in command; 306 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,478 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 25, 1985; 79 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SJT San Angelo TX at 9:22 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:05 pm from SJT, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.
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.