Robinson R22B accident near Murietta, California, May 24, 2001
On May 24, 2001 at about 2:00 am local time, a Robinson R22B (helicopter), registered N2352G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Murietta, California (French Valley, California airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The solo student's improper use of the flight controls that resulted in a dynamic rollover during the attempted takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 24, 2001 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Murietta, California · French Valley, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22B · all R22Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2352G · no longer on the register · serial 2104
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instructor had just completed 30 minutes of hover practice with the student. The student landed the helicopter and the instructor deplaned to allow the student to execute his first solo flight. As the instructor watched, the student began to liftoff and immediately rolled to the right and crashed. According to the instructor, the helicopter never left the ground. The student had logged approximately 29 hours of dual instruction in the R22 prior to the accident. The instructor stated that he had done many pickups and set downs with the student just prior to the accident. He emphasized the differences in flight characteristics that the student would experience when the instructor was not in the helicopter. He explained that he had covered dynamic rollover situations in ground school sessions, including a Robinson factory training videotape on the subject. The instructor normally occupied the left seat of the helicopter during dual lessons. At the time of the accident, the student was occupying the right seat, and the left seat was empty. The solo flight was conducted on an asphalt helicopter landing pad. Inspectors from the Federal Aviation Administration found no evidence of preaccident mechanical failure. The helipad was inspected and found to be clean, smooth, and free of obstructions. The instructor weighed 185 pounds, and the helicopter had consumed 30 pounds of fuel prior to the attempted solo flight. This made the helicopter 215 pounds lighter than the student was accustomed to. If the student did not exercise extreme caution to liftoff very slowly and deliberately, with the cyclic centered, a dynamic rollover would be very likely to occur. With an excessive input of collective, the helicopter at a light takeoff weight and the cyclic even slightly off center, the roll would be extremely rapid and nearly impossible to arrest.
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: student
- Flight time: 29 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,971.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 6, 2001; 12.4 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: F70 Murietta CA
- Destination: F70 Murietta CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 4,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 340° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 am from KRIV, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.