Robinson R-22 Beta 2 accident near Salem, Oregon, January 21, 2007
On January 21, 2007 at about 6:35 pm local time, a Robinson R-22 Beta 2 (helicopter), registered N924SH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Salem, Oregon (Mcnary Field). 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 student pilot's improper remedial action when a dynamic rollover was encountered.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 21, 2007 · about 6:35 pm local time
- Place
- Salem, Oregon · Mcnary Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R-22 Beta 2 · all R-22 Beta 2s on the register
- Registration
- N924SH · registry record · serial 3871
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter rolled over during an attempted takeoff. The student pilot reported that his instructor had just got out of the helicopter and he was going to fly his second supervised solo. The student said he was seated in the right-hand seat. He rolled the throttle up to 80 percent and let the engine governor bring the engine up to full operating power. The student then pulled in some collective and the helicopter got light on the skids. He felt the helicopter drift to the left and he countered with right cyclic. As he moved the cyclic right he felt the helicopter start to roll right. At that point he then put in full left cyclic, but the helicopter continued to roll over onto its right side. The student's flight instructor observed the event and stated that he saw the left skid come off the ground a little and the helicopter started to drift right. The helicopter then rolled very quickly on to its right side. The student pilot reported that the helicopter and engine had no mechanical failures of malfunctions during the flight.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 163 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-J2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KSLE Salem OR
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,500 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Observation at 5:56 pm from KSLE
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.