Robinson R-22B accident near Long Beach, California, December 23, 1992
On December 23, 1992 at about 5:44 pm local time, a Robinson R-22B (helicopter), registered N2338M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Long Beach, California (Long Beach Muni 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
A FAILURE OF THE DUAL STUDENT (SECOND PILOT) TO PROPERLY PERFORM THE TOUCH DOWN, AND PROPERLY ASSESS THE TERRAIN AT THE POINT OF TOUCH DOWN, OF AN INTENTIONAL AUTOROTATION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A FAILURE OF THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (FIRST PILOT) TO ADEQUATELY SUPERVISE THE TOUCH DOWN AT THE TERMINATION OF THE AUTOROTATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 23, 1992 · about 5:44 pm local time
- Place
- Long Beach, California · Long Beach Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R-22B · all R-22Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2338M · no longer on the register · serial 2150
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A CERTIFICATED HELICOPTER FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (FIRST PILOT) WAS PROVIDING PROFICIENCY TRAINING TO ANOTHER HELICOPTER FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (SECOND PILOT) WHO WAS OCCUPYING THE LEFT SEAT OF THE HELICOPTER. THE FIRST PILOT INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION WITH A PLANNED FULL TOUCH DOWN TO A GRASS COVERED AREA ADJACENT TO A RUNWAY. THE FIRST PILOT REPORTED THAT THE SECOND PILOT WAS ON THE FLIGHT CONTROLS. AFTER TOUCH DOWN, THE HELICOPTER SLID ABOUT 10 FEET. THE LANDING SKID DUG INTO THE GROUND AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. THE FAA AND SECOND PILOT REPORTED THAT BOTH PILOTS WERE ON THE FLIGHT CONTROLS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,800 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 2,600 as pilot in command; 2,400 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 629 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 8, 1992; 98 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Csr Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: FUL Fullerton CA at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:52 pm from LGB, 1 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.
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.