Robinson R22B accident near Parlier, California, January 22, 1990
On January 22, 1990 at about 5:20 am local time, a Robinson R22B (helicopter), registered N8013K, was destroyed in an accident near Parlier, California (Reedly airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FLIGHT INTO THE KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER AND HIS INADVERTENT DESCENT TO THE GROUND. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE FOG CONDITION AND SPATIAL DISORIENTATION OF THE PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 22, 1990 · about 5:20 am local time
- Place
- Parlier, California · Reedly · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22B · all R22Bs on the register
- Registration
- N8013K · registry record · serial 0968
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT OBTAINED THE WX CONDITIONS AT THE PRIVATELY OWNED HELIPAD BEFORE DEPG ON THE ACDNT FLT. WHILE EN ROUTE TO THE HELIPAD, HE OBSERVED GROUND FOG IN THE AREA. THE GND FOG BECAME SO DENSE THAT HE OVERFLEW THE HELIPAD AND ENTERED THE FOG. WHILE LOOKING FOR A VISUAL REFERENCE, THE HELICOPTER'S DESCENT RATE INCREASED. BEFORE THE PLT COULD ARREST THE DESCENT, THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH THE 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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 393 hours in all; 153 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 296 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 3, 1989; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Chowchilla CA at 4:40 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N8013K 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.