Robinson R22 accident near Torrance, California, May 12, 1983
On May 12, 1983 at about 3:11 pm local time, a Robinson R22 (helicopter), registered N83574, was substantially damaged in an accident near Torrance, California (Torrance Muni airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 12, 1983 · about 3:11 pm local time
- Place
- Torrance, California · Torrance Muni · 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
- N83574 · no longer on the register · serial 301
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER WAS ON AN FAA CERTIFICATION TEST FLT WITH A PART-TIME COMPANY EMPLOYEE IN THE LEFT SEAT AS PILOT- IN-COMMAND (PIC). AN FAA TEST PLT WAS IN THE RIGHT SEAT. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS TO ESTABLISH NEW DATA FOR THE HELICOPTER'S HEIGHT-VELOCITY (HV) CURVE. THE PIC STATED THAT ALL POINTS ALONG THE CURVE HAD BEEN SUCCESSFULLY DEMONSTRATED ON AN EARLIER DATE. AFTER A NUMBER OF AUTOROTATIONS, THE PIC SUCCESSFULLY DEMONSTRATED A SPECIFIC POINT AT 100 FT & 48 KTS. THE FAA PLT THEN TOOK THE CONTROLS & ATTEMPTED TO DUPLICATE THE POINT IN QUESTIONS. THE FLARE FOR THE LANDING DID NOT ARREST THE DESCENT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD & THE MAIN ROTOR SERVED THE TAIL BOOM. BOTH PLTS ADMITTED THAT THEY DID NOT CLEARLY DEFINE THEIR INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITIES PRIOR TO THE FLT.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,567 hours in all; 1,100 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 66 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 4, 1983; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11R, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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 N83574 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.