Robinson R-22 accident near Ft. Pierce, Florida, May 1, 1982
On May 1, 1982 at about 3:20 pm local time, a Robinson R-22 (helicopter), registered N90249, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ft. Pierce, Florida (St. Lucie County 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 1, 1982 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- Ft. Pierce, Florida · St. Lucie County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R-22 · all R-22s on the register
- Registration
- N90249 · registry record · serial 0039
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS PERFORMING AUTOROTATIONS WITH 180 DEGREE TURNS TERMINATING WITH POWER RECOVERIES. AT ABOUT 200 FEET, AFTER COMPLETION OF THE TURN, THE INSTRUCTOR HEARD A RATTLING NOISE FOLLOWED BY A MEDIUM FREQUENCY VIBRATION. THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK THE CONTROLS AND COMPLETED THE LANDING BUT THE HELICOPTER ROLLED ONTO THE LEFT SIDE WHEN POWER WAS APPLIED TO CUSHION THE TOUCHDOWN. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVESHAFT SEPARATED AT THE FORWARD FLEX COUPLING ATTACHMENT. AS A RESULT OF THIS ACCIDENT THE MANUFACTURER SENT MESSAGES TO ALL KNOWN OPERATORS OF THE AIRCRAFT CALLING FOR REINSPECTION OF THE LONG TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT BEFORE FURTHER FLIGHT. IN ADDITION, THE FACTORY WAS REPORTED TO BE INVOLVED IN A PROGRAM TO MAKE MODIFICATIONS THAT WOULD PERMANENTLY CORRECT THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH FAILURES OF THE LONG TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFTS.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,709 hours in all; 851 in this make and model; 274 in the last 90 days; 1,565 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 509 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pro-Flite Of Vero Beach, INC
The flight
- Departed from: Vero Beach FL at 11:15 am
- Destination: Vero Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 5,000 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 174°F (79°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:45 am from VRB, 10 miles away
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.