Robinson R22 BETA accident near Eunice, Louisiana, October 14, 1994
On October 14, 1994 at about 2:20 pm local time, a Robinson R22 BETA (helicopter), registered N80546, was destroyed in an accident near Eunice, Louisiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY USE CARBURETOR HEAT, THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE, AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ROTOR RPM AFTER LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND COLLISION WITH TERRAIN. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE WEATHER CONDITION, WHICH WAS CONDUCIVE TO CARBURETOR ICING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 14, 1994 · about 2:20 pm local time
- Place
- Eunice, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 BETA · all R22 BETAs on the register
- Registration
- N80546 · registry record · serial 1204
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A DOCTOR TOOK OFF FROM A LOCAL HOSPITAL, AND THE HELICOPTER WAS OBSERVED FLYING WESTBOUND ABOUT TWO BLOCKS FROM THE HOSPITAL. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OCCURRED. HE REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER TURNED RIGHT TOWARD A FIELD; HOWEVER, THE WITNESS INDICATED THAT THE HELICOPTER WENT OUT OF CONTROL, AND THEN CRASHED IN A DITCH NEXT TO A ROAD. AN EXAM OF THE HELICOPTER AND ENGINE DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY PREIMPACT MECHANICAL ANOMALIES; HOWEVER, THE CARBURETOR HEAT WAS FOUND IN THE OFF POSITION. THE TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT WERE 63 AND 59 DEGREES, RESPECTIVELY. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS, CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE FOR SERIOUS CARBURETOR ICING. TOXICOLOGY TESTS WERE POSITIVE FOR FLUOXETINE AND NORFLUOXETINE (PROZAC). TESTS OF A BLOOD SPECIMEN (CLOT) SHOWED 0.2 MG/KG OF FLUOXETINE AND 0.3 MG/KG OF NORFLUOXETINE; TESTS OF A LIVER SPECIMEN SHOWED 6.2 MG/KG FLUOXETINE AND 15 MG/KG NORFLUOXETINE. THE PRESCRIPTION DRUG, PROZAC, IS AN ANTIDEPRESSANT AND WAS NOT APPROVED FOR USE WHILE FLYING.
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: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 80 hours in all; 80 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 509 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 22, 1994; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: Ville Platte LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 900 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 pm from LFT, 28 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 N80546 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.