Robinson R22 Beta incident near Fresno, California, December 4, 2007
On December 4, 2007 at about 10:55 pm local time, a Robinson R22 Beta (helicopter), registered N805EH, was involved in an incident near Fresno, California (Fresno Chandler Executive 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
Failure of the tail rotor system support bracket during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 4, 2007 · about 10:55 pm local time
- Place
- Fresno, California · Fresno Chandler Executive · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 Beta · all R22 Betas on the register
- Registration
- N805EH · registry record · serial 1907
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Just as the helicopter touched down while performing a hovering autorotation, the certified flight instructor (CFI) heard a loud 'snap’ coming from the right side. The CFI took the controls from the student and attempted to neutralize the anti-torque pedals, but reported that they were stuck in place, with the right pedal in the forward position. He reduced the engine rpm’s to 75 percent, and attempted to move the pedals to no avail. At that point, he instructed the student to start the shutdown procedures. Following a normal shutdown, they exited the helicopter, and began to inspect the cause of the stuck anti-torque pedal. Both the CFI and student observed a broken metal structure adjacent to the restraining block that retains the anti-torque pedals. The CFI reported that it appeared to be the actual metal structure that the entire pedal assembly bolts to. The helicopter inspection revealed that the right-hand support bracket (part number A359-2) of the tail rotor control system had failed. The operator reported that the airframe had a total time of 13,000 hours. The helicopter manufacturer reported that they had been aware of other failed support brackets on helicopters with over 7,500 hours in service. As a result, the manufacturer increased the thickness of the support bracket material, and changed their overhaul procedures requiring replacement of the A359-1 and -2 support brackets at overhaul for all R22 and R44 models. The manufacturer also issued service bulletin (SB) SB-97 for the R22 and SB-63 for the R44, which require the addition of a safety tab on the older thinner support brackets.
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, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 897 hours in all; 676 in this make and model; 164 in the last 90 days; 46 in the last 30 days; 823 as pilot in command; 581 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 8, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,476 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 1,465 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 12, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,078 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Golden Eagle Enterprises, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: FAT Fresno CA at 10:05 pm
- Destination: FAT Fresno CA
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 18,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from FAT, 6 miles away
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 N805EH 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.