Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA accident near Fort Davis, Texas, April 3, 2015
On April 3, 2015 at about 4:15 pm local time, a 1997 Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, registered N8363D, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Fort Davis, Texas. 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 pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter during flight, which resulted in the helicopter impacting terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 3, 2015 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Davis, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA BETA, built 1997 · all R22 BETAs on the register
- Registration
- N8363D · no longer on the register · serial 2745
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated he was positioning the helicopter to have the sole passenger take a photograph of an animal and a settling with power condition occurred. The pilot stated that a gust of wind came from a nearby hill and began to push the helicopter toward the ground so the pilot conducted a running landing to an open field. During the landing, the pilot reported that the helicopter struck an anthill and rolled sideways. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail boom. The pilot verified that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Settling with power/vortex ring state during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Dynamic rollover during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Prop/rotor parameters › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Debris/dirt/foreign object › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 2,800 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: August 30, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,369 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Fort Davis TX
- Destination: Fort Davis TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 4:15 pm from KMRF, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.