Robinson R22 accident near Nashua, New Hampshire, July 22, 2005
On July 22, 2005 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Robinson R22 (helicopter), registered N8041J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nashua, New Hampshire (Boire Field 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 aircraft control during a introductory flight and his inadequate remedial actions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 2005 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Nashua, New Hampshire · Boire Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 · all R22s on the register
- Registration
- N8041J · no longer on the register · serial 0761
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The purpose of the flight was to give a student an introductory flight. After conducting a local flight, they returned for "hover work" at the airport and then air taxied to a point just short of a runway. While waiting to cross the runway, the instructor placed the helicopter in a hover and had the student try to hold the helicopter steady while he kept his hands on the controls. The student then "pulled the controls" from his hands, and moments later, the instructor realized that the student had let go of the controls. The helicopter then "rolled hard left, very fast" and the instructor could not regain control. The main rotor blades then struck the ground. Examination of the helicopter revealed no evidence of any preimpact malfunctions.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,200 hours in all; 3,200 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 2,988 as pilot in command; 2,988 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,214.7 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 1, 2005; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ASH Nashua NH at 1:50 pm
- Destination: ASH
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 1:45 pm from ASH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N8041J 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.