Robinson R-22 accident near Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, October 19, 2004
On October 19, 2004 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Robinson R-22 (helicopter), registered N2314T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Vega Baja, Puerto Rico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to select a suitable landing area resulting in a tangled skid with vegetation during an aborted landing and subsequent dynamic roll over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 19, 2004 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Vega Baja, Puerto Rico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R-22 · all R-22s on the register
- Registration
- N2314T · no longer on the register · serial 1977
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he selected a landing spot in an open field to drop off his passenger. After the approach to the landing area, he hovered about 5 feet and descended slowly to make contact with the ground. Due to the height of the vegetation in the area he could not see the actual ground. Once the helicopter got close to the vegetation, the passenger believed the helicopter had come to a full landing and disconnected his seat belt. The helicopter continued to sink and the pilot decided to abort the landing by raising the collective. One of the skids became tangled on the vegetation, causing a dynamic roll over.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,091 hours in all; 492 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TJIG Vega Baja PR
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from SJU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 N2314T 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.