Robinson R22 Beta accident near Lakeland, Florida, January 11, 2007
On January 11, 2007 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Robinson R22 Beta (helicopter), registered N8050Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lakeland, Florida (Lakeland Linder Regional 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 flight instructor's selection of an unsuitable landing site, which resulted in an inadvertent dynamic rollover during landing. A factor associated with the accident was the inadvertent dynamic rollover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 11, 2007 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeland, Florida · Lakeland Linder Regional
- Type
- Accident
- 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
- N8050Z · no longer on the register · serial 1117
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated flight instructor (CFI) stated that upon returning from the local training flight, he wanted to demonstrate a slope landing. He maneuvered the helicopter facing into the wind to begin the maneuver, and touched down on the upslope with the left skid. While lowering the right skid, he felt the slope was too steep and stopped lowering the right skid. While pulling collective to recover, the rear portion of the left skid became caught in the grass, and the helicopter rolled over to the left. He further reported that there was no mechanical failure or malfunction to the helicopter or any of its systems. The student pilot stated that "We were attempting a slope landing, facing east, the left skid was in contact [with] the ground & the right was level in a hover position. The craft pulled hard to the left & landed on the left side. We exited the craft through the right door."
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,600 hours in all; 850 in this make and model
- Last flight review: November 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 62 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- 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 at 3:30 pm
- Destination: KLAL Lakeland FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 090° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.35 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from KLAL
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.