Robinson R22 accident near Ashburnham, Massachusetts, August 5, 1988
On August 5, 1988 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Robinson R22 (helicopter), registered N90789, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ashburnham, Massachusetts. 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
- August 5, 1988 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Ashburnham, Massachusetts
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 · all R22s on the register
- Registration
- N90789 · no longer on the register · serial 0293
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A STUDENT PILOT AND FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WERE MAKING A PRACTICE PINNACLE APPROACH. THE STUDENT PILOT TRIED TO TERMINATE THE DESCENT, BUT WAS UNABLE AND A LANDING ON ROUGH TERRAIN TOOK PLACE. THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER AND RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE BUT THE TWO OCCUPANTS WERE NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR FAILED TO REALIZE THE PERFORMANCE PARAMETERS OF THE HELICOPTER WERE BEING EXCEEDED IN TIME TO TERMINATE THE APPROACH.
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: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 703 hours in all; 295 in this make and model; 219 in the last 90 days; 93 in the last 30 days; 618 as pilot in command; 419 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,711 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, July 29, 1988; 30 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: 3B3 Sterling MA at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 225° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°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.
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.