Robinson R22B accident near Scottsdale, Arizona, August 4, 1990
On August 4, 1990 at about 10:10 pm local time, a Robinson R22B (helicopter), registered N8044Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Scottsdale, Arizona. It was a personal 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
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER AIRCRAFT HANDLING AT A LOW ALTITUDE WHICH RESULTED IN A RATE OF DESCENT THAT COULD NOT BE ARRESTED PRIOR TO COLLIDING WITH THE GROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 1990 · about 10:10 pm local time
- Place
- Scottsdale, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22B · all R22Bs on the register
- Registration
- N8044Z · registry record · serial 1159
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS PRACTICING APPROACHES TO A HOVER AT A NEARBY FIELD. THE HELICOPTER WAS ON A DOWNWIND LEG ABOUT 100 FEET AGL WHEN THE PILOT REPORTEDLY INITIATED A SHARP TURN. HE SAID THE HELICOPTER ENTERED A DESCENT WHICH COULD NOT BE ARRESTED PRIOR TO THE HELICOPTER COLLIDING WITH THE GROUND.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,570 hours in all; 2,530 in this make and model; 410 in the last 90 days; 135 in the last 30 days; 2,490 as pilot in command; 2,280 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Arizona Wing And Rotor, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: SDL at 9:35 pm
- Destination: SDL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 109°F (43°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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX90LA275.