Robinson Helicopter R22 accident near Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2017
On July 10, 2017 at about 12:45 pm local time, a 1992 Robinson Helicopter R22, registered N2336J, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (hover) near Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (Wilkes-Barre Wyoming Valley 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 flight instructor's delayed remedial action to maintain helicopter altitude during hover flight instruction, which resulted in the helicopter skid contacting a crack in the runway and a dynamic rollover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 2017 · about 12:45 pm local time
- Place
- Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania · Wilkes-Barre Wyoming Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta, built 1992 · all R22s on the register
- Registration
- N2336J · no longer on the register · serial 2168
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
**This report was modified on July 17, 2020. Please see the docket for this accident to view the original report.** The flight instructor reported that he was teaching his student to hover in the helicopter. The helicopter was in a 2-ft hover and began drifting to the left. The left rear skid got caught in a crack in the runway, and the helicopter rolled left. According to the flight instructor, the student pilot pulled up on the collective, and the instructor attempted to push the collective down; however, the student pilot reported that he was not aware the flight instructor had transferred control of the helicopter to him and was "tracking the progress of the flight instructor." A dynamic rollover occurred, and the helicopter rolled onto its left side. The flight instructor reported that wind gusts may have been a factor in the accident. According to the METAR that the flight instructor was monitoring about the time of the accident, the wind was from 210° at 8 knots. The METAR reported no wind gusts and no convective activity that day. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tailboom and the main rotor system. The pilots reported that there were no preaccident 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
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering (hover) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (hover)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Operating environment › Airport facilities/design › Runway/landing area condition › Effect on equipment
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,693 hours in all; 1,487 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 4,540 as pilot in command; 1,285 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 17, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 23 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,973.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-J2A (piston); 8,356 hours total
- Operator: Valley Aviation Inc
The flight
- Departed from: KWBW Forty Fort PA at 7:30 pm
- Destination: KWBW Forty Fort PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,375 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 pm from KAVP, 6 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N2336J the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.