Robinson R-22B accident near Frederick, Maryland, September 16, 2002
On September 16, 2002 at about 7:40 pm local time, a Robinson R-22B (helicopter), registered N2549R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Frederick, Maryland (Frederick Municipal 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
The student pilot's failure to maintain adequate rotor rpm, and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action. A factor was the manufacturer's inadequate written guidance regarding simulated engine failures during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 16, 2002 · about 7:40 pm local time
- Place
- Frederick, Maryland · Frederick Municipal Airport · 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
- N2549R · registry record · serial 0609
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the dual instructional flight, the student pilot was practicing maneuvers in preparation for his helicopter private pilot checkride. The flight instructor briefed a "simulated engine out during takeoff," which the student pilot had not previously performed. The helicopter took off with the student pilot at the controls. About 100 feet and 60-65 knots, the flight instructor advised him that he had a simulated engine failure. The student pilot lowered the collective and rolled off the throttle. He then applied "slight aft cyclic," and raised the collective to slow the descent. The flight instructor attempted to lower the collective while the student pilot continued to raise it. The main rotor rpm deteriorated and the helicopter touched down hard. The main rotor blades flexed, and chopped off the tailboom. The helicopter's height-velocity parameters approximated the "recommended takeoff profile" when the simulated engine failure was initiated. The helicopter manufacturer had written guidelines regarding simulated engine failures, but no written guidance regarding simulated engine failures during takeoff. According to a company representative, the manufacturer taught flight instructors to avoid exposing even high time pilots to simulated power failures during takeoff, since the high power setting could cause a high rotor rpm decay rate.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,160 hours in all; 875 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 55 in the last 30 days; 1,090 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 10, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,474 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 7, 2002; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Advanced Helicopter Concepts, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: FDK Frederick MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 3,600 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 7:46 pm from FDK
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 NYC02LA191.