Robinson R22 accident near Lakeland, Florida, November 21, 2006
On November 21, 2006 at about 8:10 pm local time, a Robinson R22 (helicopter), registered N2302A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lakeland, Florida (Lakeland airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's failure to maintain control of the helicopter during takeoff resulting in a roll over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 21, 2006 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeland, Florida · Lakeland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 · all R22s on the register
- Registration
- N2302A · registry record · serial 1903
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor (CFI) stated that he was giving demo discovery flights. He landed, the first passenger got out, and the second passenger got into the helicopter and buckled up. As the CFI started to takeoff, the helicopter came off the ground about 2 inches and rolled to the left. As it began to roll, he put the collective down and rolled the throttle off. The cyclic consistently went to the left even though he was trying to pull it back to the right and the helicopter would not move to the right. The helicopter continued the left roll until contacting the ground, damaging the skids, rotor blades, and tail boom. The responding FAA inspector stated that the certified flight instructor said the helicopter was used in a Title 14 CFR part 61 flight school, which also gives rides to those who wanted the experience of flying in a helicopter. During the accident flight, he picked the aircraft up to a hover and felt the aircraft moving to the left. He then asked the passenger if she was pushing the cyclic left and her response was no. The passenger stated to the FAA inspector, when interviewed, that her left leg was not near enough to the center post of the cyclic to touch it and the pilot (flight instructor) didn't say anything during the takeoff. She added that the pilot had both hands on the stick on his left (collective) and he grabbed the control (cyclic) as the helicopter lifted off the ground. Cyclic, collective and tail rotor control continuity was established by the FAA inspector during a post accident examination of the helicopter.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,500 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Elite Flying & Management Services Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: KLAL Lakeland FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 3:10 pm from KLAL
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 N2302A 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.