Robinson R22 accident near Marathon, Florida, December 11, 2000
On December 11, 2000, a Robinson R22 (helicopter), registered N411MJ, was destroyed in an accident near Marathon, Florida. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The certified flight instructors disregard of an FAA weather forecast stating VFR flight not recommended resulting in VFR flight into known instrument flight conditions, loss of aircraft control due to spatial disorientation, and subsequent in-flight descent and in-flight collision with the Atlantic Ocean.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 11, 2000
- Place
- Marathon, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 · all R22s on the register
- Registration
- N411MJ · no longer on the register · serial 2099
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructors (CFI) attempted VFR flight to his destination airport without a weather briefing. Instrument flight conditions were encountered and the pilot landed on an island. The CFI called an FAA Automated Flight Service Station and received a standard weather briefing. The forecaster informed the CFI that VFR flight was not recommended. The CFI attempted VFR flight after he thought the weather had moved through his location, and encountered instrument flight conditions. He attempted to reverse his course, became spatially disoriented, and the helicopter descended and collided with the Atlantic Ocean.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 651 hours in all; 637 in this make and model; 235 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 600 as pilot in command; 432 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,292 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 20, 2000; 82 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Volar Helicopters INC.
The flight
- Departed from: N/A Marathon FL at 6:45 pm
- Destination: FXE Fort Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 300° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 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.
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.