Robinson R22HP accident near Copake Falls, New York, June 18, 1988
On June 18, 1988 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Robinson R22HP (helicopter), registered N622SC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Copake Falls, New York. 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 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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 18, 1988 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Copake Falls, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22HP · all R22HPs on the register
- Registration
- N622SC · registry record · serial 0052
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A PRACTICE AUTOROTATION TO AN OPEN FIELD, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A WIRE THAT HAD NOT BEEN OBSERVED. AN ATTEMPT TO FLY OVER THE WIRE WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AND THE TAIL ROTOR AND AFT 1/3 OF THE TAIL CONE WAS SEVERED FROM THE HELICOPTER. A HOVERING AUTOROTATION FROM 20 FEET AGL WAS THEN PERFORMED WHICH RESULTED IN BENT SKIDS AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES BEING DESTROYED.
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: 974 hours in all; 969 in this make and model; 165 in the last 90 days; 46 in the last 30 days; 909 as pilot in command; 655 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,995 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 17, 1988; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aviation Training Academy
The flight
- Departed from: DXR Danbury CT at 6:00 pm
- Destination: PSF Pittsfield MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 35,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N622SC the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.