Robinson R22 accident near Long Beach, Mississippi, January 27, 2001
On January 27, 2001 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Robinson R22 (helicopter), registered N128PH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Long Beach, Mississippi (Vortex Heliport 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
The student pilot's failure to relinquish the flight controls while the CFI was demonstrating a takeoff to a hover. This resulted in an in-flight loss of directional control, in-flight collision with terrain, and subsequent roll over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 27, 2001 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Long Beach, Mississippi · Vortex Heliport · 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
- N128PH · registry record · serial 2242
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The CFI picked the helicopter up to a hover with a student pilot following him through on the flight controls. The helicopter started to drift to the left and the CFI applied right cyclic input, however the student pilot froze on the flight controls. The CFI instructed the student pilot to get off the controls with negative response. The helicopter pitched up and the tailrotor blades collided with the ground. The helicopter continued to roll to the right and rolled over on its right side.
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; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 222 hours in all; 222 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 186 as pilot in command; 8 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 27, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,624 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 12, 2001; 60 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: 3MS9 Long Beach MS at 8:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from GPT
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.