Robinson R22B accident near Robert Lee, Texas, October 15, 1992
On October 15, 1992 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Robinson R22B (helicopter), registered N8066B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Robert Lee, Texas. It was an other work-use 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 LOSS OF ENGINE/ROTOR RPM FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 15, 1992 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Robert Lee, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22B · all R22Bs on the register
- Registration
- N8066B · no longer on the register · serial 1275
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A GAME SURVEY THE ENGINE/ROTOR RPM SUDDENLY DETERIORATED AND THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING. DURING THE APPROACH TO THE GROUND THE ENGINE/ROTOR RPM DETERIORATED FURTHER AND THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND HARD. THE CAUSE FOR THE POWER LOSS COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 2,900 as pilot in command; 50 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,900 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 11, 1992; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Heli-Tex INC
The flight
- Departed from: NONE King Ranch TX at 7:30 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 11 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:00 pm from SJT, 35 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.
Other NTSB records under N8066B 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.