Robinson R-22 accident near Hialeah, Florida, March 7, 1988
On March 7, 1988 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Robinson R-22 (helicopter), registered N90669, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hialeah, Florida. It was a personal 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).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 7, 1988 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hialeah, Florida · map
- 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
- N90669 · registry record · serial 0119
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND IN A FIELD THE PILOT MISJUDGED THE HEIGHT OF THE GRASS. THE FRONT PART OF THE SKIDS BECAME ENTANGLED IN THE 2 FOOT HEIGHT GRASS AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. INSTRUCTION WAS NOT TAKING PLACE, HOWEVER, THE SECOND PILOT HAD 75 HOURS IN MAKE AND MODEL AND WAS CURRENT & QUALIFIED FOR HELICOPTER FLIGHT.
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
What happened, in order
- NOSE OVER during landing - flare/touchdown
Pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, helicopter, IHEL, APLN, helicopter, helicopter
- Flight time: 14,830 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: class 1
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: OPF Opa Locka FL at 7:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; scattered at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°C, dew point 0°C
- Altimeter: 30 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from OPF, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA88LA120.