Robinson R-22 accident near Daytona Beach, Florida, November 4, 2004
On November 4, 2004 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Robinson R-22 (helicopter), registered N7188N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Daytona Beach, Florida (Spruce Creek airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The improper landing flare by an unknown pilot at an unknown time resulting in a hard landing and substantial damage to the helicopters tailcone.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 4, 2004 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Daytona Beach, Florida · Spruce Creek · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R-22 · all R-22s on the register
- Registration
- N7188N · registry record · serial 3098
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a preflight inspection damage was discovered to the tailcone assembly of the helicopter. Upon further examination and consulting with the manufacture of the helicopter, by the operator, it was determined that a major repair was required to return the helicopter to airworthiness condition. The forward bulkhead, forward bulkhead skin, and doublers for that area of the tailcone had to be replaced. On the questionnaire submitted to the manufacture by the operator to aid in assessing the type of repair required stated "damage was sustained during a hovering autorotation." On December 3, 2004, an inspector from the FAA notified the NTSB of the damage. On December 8, 2004 a completed Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report was provide by the instructor pilot who flew the helicopter the day before the damage was discovered. He stated he had not seen the damage and does not know when or how it occurred. He only assumes the cause was from a hard set down during a practice hovering 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
Pilot
- Flight time: 0 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,203 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 10, 2004; 74 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-J2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Lunsford Air Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: 7FL6 Port Orange FL
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.