Robinson R22 accident near Clearwater, Florida, February 19, 2019
On February 19, 2019 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 1998 Robinson R22 (helicopter), registered N512GS, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (to runway) near Clearwater, Florida (Clearwater Air Park 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 failure to maintain sufficient altitude over uneven terrain during a hover taxi, which resulted in ground contact and a subsequent dynamic rollover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 19, 2019 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Clearwater, Florida · Clearwater Air Park · 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 1998 · all R22s on the register
- Registration
- N512GS · no longer on the register · serial 2836
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the flight instructor in the skid-equipped helicopter, he was going to demonstrate a maneuver to his airplane-rated student. The instructor reported that he air taxied the helicopter to the departure end of the runway. He then slowed down the helicopter, and while turning and hover taxiing over the grassy area between the taxiway and the runway, the right skid's toe contacted the uneven ground. The helicopter pivoted around the toe and rolled onto its side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and rotor systems. The instructor reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions 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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during taxi (to runway)
- Loss of control in flight during taxi (to runway) defining event
- Roll over during taxi (to runway)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Instructor/check pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven terrain › Contributed to outcome
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 897 hours in all; 521 in this make and model; 108 in the last 90 days; 66 in the last 30 days; 789 as pilot in command; 543 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 21, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,232 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 107 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 1,126 as pilot in command; 655 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 10, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,017.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 4, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-J2A (piston); 7,017 hours total
- Operator: Tampa Bay Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: CLW Clearwater FL at 9:00 pm
- Destination: CLW Clearwater FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 4,108 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from KPIE, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on March 19, 2019. 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photo | PDF, 1 page | 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.