Robinson R-22 accident near Austin, Texas, February 20, 1986
On February 20, 1986 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Robinson R-22 (helicopter), registered N9062Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Austin, Texas (Austin Executive 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 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
- February 20, 1986 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Austin, Texas · Austin Executive · 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
- N9062Z · no longer on the register · serial 0146
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT EXPERIENCED A HARD LANDING AND SEVERED THE TAILBOOM. PLT INITIALLY STATED THAT THE ENG HAD 'MISSED' DURING PWR APPLICATION AT THE BOTTOM OF A NORM APPROACH. LATER HE STATED THAT HE HAD BEEN PRACTICING TOUCHDOWN AUTOROTATIONS. DA WAS 3,100' WITH A 97 DEGREE TEMPERATURE. PVT HELO PLT HAD LIMITED EXPERIENCE IN TOUCHDOWN 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 234 hours in all; 92 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 155 as pilot in command; 137 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 640 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 24, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.