Robinson R22 accident near Taylor, Texas, February 5, 2016
On February 5, 2016 at about 2:00 pm local time, a 1987 Robinson R22 (helicopter), registered N1777V, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Taylor, Texas (Taylor Muni airport). It was an instructional 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 flight instructor's improper collective input during a simulated engine failure autorotation with a power recovery, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing and the main rotor blade striking the tailboom.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 5, 2016 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Taylor, Texas · Taylor Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 BETA, built 1987 · all R22s on the register
- Registration
- N1777V · registry record · serial 0623
- 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 and the student pilot were both on the controls. When the helicopter was about 10 ft above ground level (agl), the instructor initiated a simulated engine failure autorotation with a power recovery. As they rolled the engine throttle up to recover, the alternator light illuminated, and the engine lost all power. When the helicopter was about 2 ft agl, the instructor raised full collective and leveled the helicopter, and the low rotor rpm light and horn activated. The student stated that the engine might have had a low-idle setting and that, during the accident flight, he applied full carburetor heat. The helicopter landed hard, bounced, and settled back onto the runway, and the main rotor blade struck the tailboom. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tailboom. The instructor reported that, during a postaccident engine test-run, the engine started and ran without any issues. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that, due to the accident occurring more than 3 years before it was reported by an anonymous person, he was not able to determine the reason for the loss of engine power.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing
- Hard landing during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Prop/rotor parameters › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,600 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 52 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 1, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 27, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EDC Austin TX at 2:00 pm
- Destination: T74 Taylor TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from KEDC, 12 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.