Robinson R22 BETA accident near Kissimmee, Florida, June 16, 2003
On June 16, 2003 at about 8:55 pm local time, a Robinson R22 BETA (helicopter), registered N7185K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kissimmee, Florida (Kissimmee 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 inadequate supervision by flight instructor for his failure to prevent incorrect anti-torque pedal input by the student resulting in the helicopter yawing at touchdown. A factor in the accident was the incorrect anti-torque pedal input by the student pilot while performing a practice auto-rotative landing procedure from a hover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 16, 2003 · about 8:55 pm local time
- Place
- Kissimmee, Florida · Kissimmee · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 BETA · all R22 BETAs on the register
- Registration
- N7185K · no longer on the register · serial 2981
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The CFI stated that his student was having difficulty performing hovering auto-rotations, and they were practicing the maneuver. After about 4 executions of the maneuver, while hovering about 2 feet above the ground at the practice area, the student applied left anti-torque pedal instead of right input when he reduced engine power to begin the maneuver. The CFI later reported he had his right foot over the right anti-torque pedal to confirm correct input by the student, but he was unable to prevent or correct the incorrect input from the student as quickly as he should have done. The helicopter started to spin to the left and while descending, the aft portion of the left skid dug in to the soft soil and the helicopter stopped spinning immediately. A vibration followed the landing; he disengaged the clutch and secured the engine then exited the helicopter. Post accident inspection of the helicopter by him revealed the tail boom was substantially damaged. The student pilot stated that he was practicing the autorotation maneuver at the practice area with his flight instructor. On his third or fourth attempt of performing the maneuver, the helicopter spun to the left and contacted the ground. His instructor later told him that he applied left anti-torque pedal instead of right pedal causing the helicopter to spin to the left at an unusual rate in autorotation.
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
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 328 hours in all; 283 in this make and model; 105 in the last 90 days; 73 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Injury: serious injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 14 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,056 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 3, 2003; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Avco Lycoming O-360-C1F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KISM
- Destination: KISM
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N7185K the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.