Robinson R22 accident near Chandler, Arizona, January 28, 2005
On January 28, 2005 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Robinson R22 (helicopter), registered N7535Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chandler, Arizona (Chandler 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the certified flight instructor's inadequate use of the antitorque control pedals while adding throttle, which led to a loss of directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 28, 2005 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Chandler, Arizona · Chandler Municipal 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
- N7535Z · no longer on the register · serial 3477
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter collided with terrain following a loss of antitorque control during a practice slope landing. On the third or fourth practice landing, the helicopter's skids were positioned so that the rear portions angled downwards toward lower terrain. As the student pilot configured the flight controls to remove the load off the rotor blades, the tail of the helicopter began to tip backwards. The CFI took control of the helicopter and added power to prevent the tail rotor from striking terrain. The helicopter responded by rotating to the right about the vertical axis. The CFI attempted to maintain level flight and counteract the spin by applying antitorque pedal input, but was unable to maintain control of the helicopter. After four or five revolutions to the right, the helicopter's right front section impacted terrain
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; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 555 hours in all; 555 in this make and model; 172 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 141 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 Series (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CHD Chandler AZ
- Destination: CHD Chandler AZ
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N7535Z 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.