Robinson R22B accident near Gurabo, Puerto Rico, January 16, 1994
On January 16, 1994 at about 2:20 am local time, a Robinson R22B (helicopter), registered N193HC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gurabo, Puerto Rico. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
COMPLETE SEPARATION OF ONE OF THE TWO VEE-BELTS, AND COMPLETE SEPARATION OF 1/2 OF THE REMAINING BELT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE DARK NIGHT CONDITION AND UNSUITABLE TERRAIN ENCOUNTERED DURING THE AUTOROTATIVE LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 16, 1994 · about 2:20 am local time
- Place
- Gurabo, Puerto Rico
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22B · all R22Bs on the register
- Registration
- N193HC · no longer on the register · serial 1924
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING CRUISE FLIGHT DURING A DARK NIGHT OVER UNSUITABLE TERRAIN AT 1,800 FEET MSL, THE CLUTCH LIGHT FLICKERED MOMENTARILY THEN REMAINED ILLUMINATED. HE WAITED FOR 5 SECONDS THEN PULLED THE CLUTCH CIRCUIT BREAKER AND INITIATED AN EMERGENCY DESCENT FOR A FORCED LANDING. WHEN THE FLIGHT WAS ABOUT 50 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL) THE PILOT INITIATED THE CYCLIC FLARE. THEN WHEN THE FLIGHT WAS ABOUT 10 FEET AGL, HE PULLED COLLECTIVE CONTROL BUT THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD. EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER REVEALED THAT ONE OF THE TWO VEE- BELTS HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED AND 1/2 OF THE REMAINING BELT HAD ALSO COMPLETELY SEPARATED. REVIEW OF THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS REVEALED THAT THE TENSION OF THE BELTS WAS CHECKED ABOUT 42 HOURS BEFORE. THE VEE-BELTS WERE INSTALLED WHEN THE HELICOPTER WAS MANUFACTURED ABOUT 442 HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,475 hours in all; 760 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 1,225 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 442 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 5, 1993; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: SIG San Juan PR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 am from SJU, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.