Robinson R22 Beta II accident near Oakland, California, September 14, 2007
On September 14, 2007 at about 6:53 pm local time, a Robinson R22 Beta II (helicopter), registered N132SH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Oakland, California (Metropolitan Oakland Intl 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 student pilot's failure to adequately compensate for the crosswind conditions and to maintain directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 14, 2007 · about 6:53 pm local time
- Place
- Oakland, California · Metropolitan Oakland Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 Beta II · all R22 Beta IIs on the register
- Registration
- N132SH · no longer on the register · serial 4121
- 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 performing a supervised solo traffic pattern after completing three successful patterns with a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) on runway 33. The three practice patterns with the CFI had been done to determine wind effects and aptitude of the student on this day. As the student pilot completed his first solo traffic pattern and was coming into a hover he encountered a left crosswind from 250 degrees at 10 knots, and the helicopter yawed left and spun 1 1/4 turns. The helicopter then descended to a hard landing. The student and the instructor said there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 64 hours in all; 64 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 814 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 1, 2007; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-J2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KOAK Oakland CA
- Destination: KOAK Oakland CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 3,372 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from OAK
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.
Other NTSB records under N132SH 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.