Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA accident near Ronkonkoma, New York, August 19, 2015
On August 19, 2015 at about 11:15 pm local time, a 1986 Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, registered N86EH, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (hover) near Ronkonkoma, New York (Long Island Mac Arthur airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's loss of control during a hover, which resulted in ground contact and a dynamic rollover. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's lack of action to remediate the student pilot's control inputs and recover aircraft control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 19, 2015 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Ronkonkoma, New York · Long Island Mac Arthur · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, built 1986 · all R22 BETAs on the register
- Registration
- N86EH · registry record · serial 0585
- 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 he had given instructions to the student pilot to hover over a grass area on the airport property. The flight instructor stated the helicopter was "hovering 18 inches to 30 inches above the ground and then was lying on its side on the ground". The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor, tail boom, and tail rotor drive shaft. In a statement to the FAA, the flight instructor said he had given the controls to the student pilot. The student pilot started to over control the helicopter and it went into a pendulum motion. The helicopter came close to the ground and the right skid made contact with the ground, causing a dynamic rollover. The flight instructor reported no preimpact 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
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering (hover) defining event
- Dynamic rollover during maneuvering (hover)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (hover)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience › Student/instructed pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 347 hours in all; 334 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 236 as pilot in command; 77 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 22, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 1 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,928 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 17, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 7,543 hours total
- Operator: Helicopter Flight Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: ISP Ronkonkoma NY at 10:15 pm
- Destination: ISP Ronkonkoma NY
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 1,300 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from KISP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 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.