Robinson R22 accident near Sterling, Massachusetts, August 2, 1987
On August 2, 1987, a Robinson R22 (helicopter), registered N9078Z, was destroyed in an accident near Sterling, Massachusetts. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 2, 1987
- Place
- Sterling, Massachusetts
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 · all R22s on the register
- Registration
- N9078Z · registry record · serial 0288
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE FLYING SOLO, THE STUDENT PLT & HIS INSTRUCTOR (CFI) PRACTICED AUTOROTATIONS FOR ABOUT 1/2 HR. THE CFI DEPLANED & THE STUDENT TOOK OFF ON A SOLO FLT. HE FLEW TO A RESERVOIR AREA FOR MORE PRACTICE. AFTER DESCENDING FROM ABOUT 1000' TO 500', THE ENG LOST POWER. THE STUDENT MADE AN AUTOROTATION TO THE AN OPEN AREA NEAR THE RESERVOIR. HOWEVER, DURING TOUCHDOWN ON SLOPING TERRAIN, THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER. A POST-ACDNT EXAM WAS MADE, BUT NO ENG OR FUEL SYSTEM DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND.
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: student
- Flight time: 24 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Sterling MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N9078Z the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 NYC87LA217.