Robinson R22 accident near Orlando, Florida, October 1, 1988
On October 1, 1988 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Robinson R22 (helicopter), registered N2628B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Orlando, Florida (Rybolt Ranch airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- October 1, 1988 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Orlando, Florida · Rybolt Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 · all R22s on the register
- Registration
- N2628B · registry record · serial 771
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE PRACTICING HOVERING THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO DRIFT. THE INSTRUCTOR PLT CORRECTED THIS & RETURNED CONTROL TO THE STUDENT PLT. THE HELICOPTER THEN BEGAN TO DESCEND & THE INSTRUCTOR PLT ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THIS WITH COLLECTIVE, BUT THE STUDENT PLT APPLIED OPPOSITE COLLECTIVE INPUT. A SKID CAUGHT THE GROUND & THE HELICOPTER THEN EXPERIENCED DYNAMIC ROLLOVER. THE STUDENT HAD 7 HOURS OF TOTAL FLIGHT TIME.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,700 hours in all; 1,760 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 2,350 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from MCO, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N2628B the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 MIA89LA001.