Robinson R22 BETA accident near Placitas, New Mexico, January 22, 1995
On January 22, 1995 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Robinson R22 BETA (helicopter), registered N269ME, was substantially damaged in an accident near Placitas, New Mexico. It was a ferry 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 PILOT OPERATED BEYOND THE CLIMB CAPABILITY OF THE HELICOPTER, RESULTING IN INADEQUATE ALTITUDE AND TERRAIN CLEARANCE OVER MOUNTAINOUS RISING TERRAIN. A FACTOR WAS TURBULENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 22, 1995 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Placitas, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 BETA · all R22 BETAs on the register
- Registration
- N269ME · registry record · serial 1150
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE TRANSITING A RIDGE LINE AT 8,100 FEET MSL, THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE AND THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN TERRAIN CLEARANCE. THE HELICOPTER SETTLED INTO TREES ALONG THE SIDE OF A SLOPE. PRIOR TO THE LOSS OF CONTROL THE HELICOPTER WAS CLIMBING ABOUT 600 FEET PER MINUTE AT MAXIMUM CONTINUOUS POWER AT 150 TO 200 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. TURBULENCE RESULTED IN LOSS OF AIRSPEED AND ROTOR RPM DECREASED. SUBSEQUENTLY THE HELICOPTER SETTLED INTO TREES. HAD THE PILOTS CHOSEN A LESS DIRECT ROUTE TO THE NORTH THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED.
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: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,600 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 2,566 as pilot in command; 2,450 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 21, 1995; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4AC Albuquerque NM at 5:30 pm
- Destination: TCC Tucumcari NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,500 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from ABQ, 20 miles away
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 N269ME 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.