Robinson R-22B accident near Fairfield, New Jersey, January 15, 1999
On January 15, 1999 at about 8:38 pm local time, a Robinson R-22B (helicopter), registered N8041J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fairfield, New Jersey (Caldwell Essex County 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 rotor rpm and his failure to complete the autorotational descent. A factor in the accident was the flight instructor's failure to fully deploy carburetor heat as directed in the Pilot's Operating Handbook.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 15, 1999 · about 8:38 pm local time
- Place
- Fairfield, New Jersey · Caldwell Essex County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R-22B · all R-22Bs on the register
- Registration
- N8041J · no longer on the register · serial 1091
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was receiving dual instruction in the helicopter in atmospheric conditions conducive to carburetor icing. A 'straight-in autorotation with power recovery' was entered with only partial carburetor heat applied. When throttle was applied for the power recovery, the helicopter experienced a total loss of engine power. The flight instructor said the engine and rotor RPM decayed simultaneously and the helicopter suffered a hard landing. According to the Pilot Operating Handbook, full carburetor heat was to be applied during autorotation. After the accident, the flight instructor reported there were no mechanical deficiencies with the helicopter and the engine started and ran on the airframe.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 595 hours in all; 379 in this make and model; 107 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 546 as pilot in command; 310 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,753 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 1, 1998; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mustang Aviation INC
The flight
- Departed from: CDW at 8:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 4,553 ft by 80 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from CDW
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.