Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA accident near Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, June 29, 2015
On June 29, 2015 at about 6:25 pm local time, a 2003 Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, registered N227FT, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's decision to conduct a high altitude pinnacle landing without adequate power, which resulted in the helicopter impacting terrain during the approach. Contributing to the accident was the density altitude at the high altitude pinnacle landing site.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 2015 · about 6:25 pm local time
- Place
- Kailua-Kona, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA BETA, built 2003 · all R22 BETAs on the register
- Registration
- N227FT · no longer on the register · serial 3404
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that high altitude pinnacle landings were being conducted with the pilot receiving instruction. He reported that the approach was made to a pinnacle landing site with an elevation of "roughly 8000 feet" mean sea level (MSL). The flight instructor reported that "as we got closer to the ground and to the spot (around 5-6ft above the ground with a descent rate of around 100ft/min) the rotor rpm began to droop and we started to descend." He reported that he tried to increase airspeed and go-around and that, "this made us descend further and the gradient of the down sloping terrain was not sufficient for us to avoid ground contact." The helicopter skidded forward on the ground, the right skid caught terrain, and the helicopter rolled over on its left side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and to the tail boom. The density altitude for the accident area was calculated and exceeded the in ground effect ceiling and out of ground effect ceiling values provided by the flight instructor for the accident area. The flight instructor 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
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Other weather encounter during landing
- Loss of lift during landing defining event
- Loss of control in flight during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Performance calculations › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › High density altitude › Contributed to outcome
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,040 hours in all; 855 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 961 as pilot in command; 775 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 1, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 155.3 hours in all; 136 in this make and model; 45.7 in the last 90 days; 16.1 in the last 30 days; 81.9 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,637.1 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 9, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-J2A (piston); 5,463 hours total
- Operator: Hawaii Pacific Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: KOA Kailua-Kona HI at 5:23 pm
- Destination: KOA Kailua-Kona HI
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from PHKO, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.