Robinson R22 BETA accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, May 17, 1992
On May 17, 1992 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Robinson R22 BETA (helicopter), registered N4026Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida. 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
DELAY BY THE CFI TO TAKE REMEDIAL ACTION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE STUDENTS PREMATURE FLARE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 1992 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida · map
- 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
- N4026Q · no longer on the register · serial 1521
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE PRACTICING 180 DEGREE AUTOROTATIVE LANDINGS WITH A POWER RECOVERY TO A HOVER, THE STUDENT DIDN'T FLARE AT THE PREDETERMINED ALTITUDE. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL BUT THE DESCENT CONTINUED UNTIL THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND, BOUNCED, THEN TOUCHED DOWN & ROLLED OVER.
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: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 328 hours in all; 220 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 56 in the last 30 days; 280 as pilot in command; 66 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,903 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 15, 1992; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Volar Helicopters, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: FXE at 7:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N4026Q 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.