Robinson R22 accident near Ocean City, New Jersey, August 10, 2018
On August 10, 2018 at about 1:30 pm local time, a 1993 Robinson R22 (helicopter), registered N92TR, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (hover) near Ocean City, New Jersey (Ocean City Municipal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's decision to conduct hover practice at a lower altitude than recommended and his delayed remedial action during recovery from an unstable hover, which resulted in a dynamic rollover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 2018 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ocean City, New Jersey · Ocean City Municipal · 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 1993 · all R22s on the register
- Registration
- N92TR · registry record · serial 2375
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor in the skid-equipped helicopter reported that, during hover practice, he transferred the flight controls to the student while the helicopter was hovering about 3 ft above ground level (agl). He added that he should have started the hover practice at 5 ft agl, which was the normal procedure. Shortly after, the hover became unstable, and the instructor took the flight controls, but he was not able to regain control of the helicopter. The left skid contacted the ground, and the helicopter rolled onto its side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tailboom and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no 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
- Miscellaneous/other during maneuvering (hover) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (hover)
- Dynamic rollover during landing
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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 544 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 345 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 24, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 7 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,058 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 5, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 2,058 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 26N Ocean City NJ at 1:30 pm
- Destination: 26N Ocean City NJ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 1:54 pm from KACY, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number GAA18CA483.