Robinson Helicopter CO R66 accident near Beaumont, Texas, June 7, 2016
On June 7, 2016 at about 10:30 pm local time, a 2013 Robinson Helicopter CO R66, registered N38SL, was substantially damaged in an accident during standing (engine(s) start-up) near Beaumont, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The non-pilot owner's decision to start the helicopter while awaiting the pilot's arrival, which resulted in a loss of yaw control and a rollover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 7, 2016 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Beaumont, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter CO R66 NO SERIES, built 2013
- Registration
- N38SL · no longer on the register · serial 0269
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The owner of the helicopter, who did not hold a pilot certificate, reported that he followed the manufacture checklist and started the helicopter as he awaited the arrival of his pilot. He further reported that as the main rotor reached "idle speed" the helicopter spun to the right and rolled over, which resulted in substantial damage to the main rotor drive shaft and tail boom. The owner's pilot did not witness the accident and did not authorize the owner's actions. The owner did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter 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
- Loss of control on ground during standing (engine(s) start-up) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Owner/builder
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Owner/builder
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Owner/builder
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Yaw control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Flight time: 56 hours in all; 56 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 317 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,700 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C300/A1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Beaumont TX at 10:50 pm
- Destination: Beaumont TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from KBPT, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on July 27, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Owner Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photos (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.