Robinson R-22 accident near Coral Springs, Florida, March 26, 2002
On March 26, 2002, a Robinson R-22 (helicopter), registered N7187J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Coral Springs, Florida. 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 instructor's too high flare during an autorotational landing, resulting in a hard touchdown and rollover. Factors contributing to the accident were the instructor's nonperformance of a preflight brief concerning procedures and techniques for a simulated engine failure, the student's not removing total rotorcraft control when the instructor announced, "my controls", and the selection of unsuitable terrain for landing by the instructor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 26, 2002
- Place
- Coral Springs, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R-22 · all R-22s on the register
- Registration
- N7187J · no longer on the register · serial 3042
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the instructor, he wanted to finish off the rotorcraft instructional flight with a practice forced landing to a power recovery at 500 feet agl. He did not disarm the engine governor, and the student rolled the throttle to the detent and held it there when the instructor announced, "engine failure". When the instructor tried to ease on throttle, he felt resistance and interpreted the condition as a real engine failure and announced, "my controls". The combination of choosing a landing spot with too high grass and uneven, soft terrain, together with the student continuing to handle the collective control resulted in a too high flare and hard touchdown and rollover.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 460 hours in all; 460 in this make and model; 227 in the last 90 days; 78 in the last 30 days; 425 as pilot in command; 218 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 31, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 134 hours in all; 134 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 78 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 12, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,199 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 20, 2002; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PMP Pompano Beach FL at 9:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from PMP, 8 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.