Robinson R-22B accident near White Plains, New York, July 14, 1991
On July 14, 1991 at about 4:02 pm local time, a Robinson R-22B (helicopter), registered N2446X, was substantially damaged in an accident near White Plains, New York (Westchester County airport). 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 FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ENSURE THE HELICOPTER HAD NO LATERAL MOTION UPON TOUCHDOWN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 14, 1991 · about 4:02 pm local time
- Place
- White Plains, New York · Westchester County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R-22B · all R-22Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2446X · registry record · serial 0576
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER WAS APPROACHING TO LAND AT AN AIRPORT WITH RESTRICTIVE NOISE ABATEMENT PROCEDURES. THE PILOT ARRIVED OVER THE AIRPORT, APPROXIMATELY 1000 FEET AGL AND WAS CLEARED TO A TAXIWAY. THE PILOT DESCRIBED THE DESCENT AS STEEP AND HE MISSED HIS DESIRED LANDING AREA. THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND IN A GRASSY AREA NEAR THE DESIGNATED LANDING AREA, HOWEVER, HE TOUCHED DOWN WITH A LEFT LATERAL MOVEMENT AND UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER.
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: 1,148 hours in all; 1,096 in this make and model; 216 in the last 90 days; 54 in the last 30 days; 1,070 as pilot in command; 888 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Engle Helicopter, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: CDW Caldwell NJ at 3:00 pm
- Destination: HPN White Plains NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 12 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 79°F (26°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.
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 NYC91LA179.