Robinson R-22 accident near Dallas, Texas, June 13, 1985
On June 13, 1985 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Robinson R-22 (helicopter), registered N9075Y, was destroyed in an accident near Dallas, Texas (Dallas Redbird 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
- June 13, 1985 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Dallas, Texas · Dallas Redbird · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R-22 · all R-22s on the register
- Registration
- N9075Y · no longer on the register · serial 0252
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT ALLOWED THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES TO DROP TO A SLOW SPEED WELL BELOW THE GREEN ARC. THE STUDENT PLT AND THE INSTRUCTOR PLT ATTEMPTED TO DO A POWER RECOVERY FROM THE ABORTED AUTOROTATION MANEUVER BUT THE ENG COULD NOT ACCELERATE THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES AT AN ADEQUATE RATE DUE TO THE LOW INERTIA-TYPE BLADES. THE ENG DID DRIVE THE BLADES INTO A CONE SHAPE WHICH DID NOT DEVELOP ADEQUATE LIFT TO PREVENT THE HARD TOUCHDOWN LANDING. THE SPEARATED SECTION OF TAIL BOOM AND TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT WERE FOUND A GREAT DISTANCE FROM THE WRECKAGE DRIVEN BY THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE WHICH WAS DRIVEN BY THE ENG UNDER POWER. THE DEFORMED MAIN ROTOR BLADES SHOWED EVIDENCE OF CONEING. THE ONE BLADE TIP CONTACTED THE SOD SURFACE AND BENT DOWNWARD. THE SKID ASSY SEPARATED DUE TO THE HARD TOUCHDOWN.
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: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,165 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 97 in the last 90 days; 8,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 9, 1985; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RBD Dallas TX at 11:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 6:40 pm from RBD
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 N9075Y 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.