Robinson R-22B accident near Keene, New Hampshire, February 19, 2001
On February 19, 2001 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Robinson R-22B (helicopter), registered N910SM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Keene, New Hampshire (Dillant-Hopkins 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
inadequate visual lookout by the flight instructor on the helicopter's proximity to the snowbank, and subsequent lift off, which resulted in a dynamic rollover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 19, 2001 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Keene, New Hampshire · Dillant-Hopkins · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R-22B · all R-22Bs on the register
- Registration
- N910SM · no longer on the register · serial 1910
- 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 practicing hovering autorotations with a flight instructor onboard. They were performing the practice in an open field next to a runway. At the rear of the field behind the helicopter was a snowbank with an irregular line. There was a wind of about 10 knots on the nose of the helicopter. During each hovering autorotation, the helicopter ended up further aft than the preceding one. The flight instructor looked out of his left door and based upon the part of the snowbank that he could see, he thought he had about 50-75 feet to the snow bank. However, he was unaware that the left rear skid was already under the crust of the snowbank directly behind the helicopter. He took control of the helicopter with the intent of repositioning it to the middle of the field. When the flight instructor applied the collective to lift off, the helicopter pivoted on the left rear skid, and rolled over on its left side. The flight instructor reported the accident could have been prevented had he maintained better situational awareness of the snowbank in the field where they were practicing, and if he had used a two stage pickup, where he first made the helicopter light on the skids, and then applied the collective to lift off more slowly.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 335 hours in all; 335 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 300 as pilot in command; 63 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 31, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 62 hours in all; 62 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,011 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 16, 2001; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EEN Keene NH at 7:30 pm
- Destination: EEN Keene NH
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 7:35 pm from EEN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.