Robinson R22 Beta accident near Nashua, New Hampshire, May 25, 2007
On May 25, 2007 at about 5:41 pm local time, a Robinson R22 Beta (helicopter), registered N302CH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nashua, New Hampshire (Boire Field). 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
The flight instructor's inadvertent entry into a vortex ring state (settling with power). Factors to the accident was the tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 25, 2007 · about 5:41 pm local time
- Place
- Nashua, New Hampshire · Boire Field · 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
- N302CH · registry record · serial 3996
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the flight instructor, the student pilot and flight instructor were repositioning a Robinson R22 Beta to practice "quick stops." The student pilot was air taxiing the helicopter downwind at 30 feet agl, when she began to slow the helicopter. The flight instructor then took over the flight controls and attempted to do "a left pedal turn" so he could point the helicopter into the wind for landing; however the helicopter did not respond and started to descend. The flight instructor then lowered the collective "slightly" and increased engine power "slightly" to stop the descent without result. He again tried to raise the collective "slightly," but the helicopter continued to descend. As the helicopter was "getting pretty low," the flight instructor turned the helicopter to point the skids in the direction of travel. The front of the skids then made contact with the ground, dug in, and the helicopter nosed over. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the helicopter were reported by the flight instructor.
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: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 362 hours in all; 362 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: March 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 105 hours in all; 105 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,060.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2007; 72.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-J2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ASH Nashua NH at 5:03 pm
- Destination: ASH
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 5:51 pm from ASH
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.
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.