Robinson R-22 accident near Point Judith, Rhode Island, September 24, 1991
On September 24, 1991 at about 1:00 am local time, a Robinson R-22 (helicopter), registered N950CW, was destroyed in an accident near Point Judith, Rhode Island. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT BECOME DISORIENTED AND LOST CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A DARK NIGHT, FLIGHT OVER WATER, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 24, 1991 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Point Judith, Rhode Island
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R-22 · all R-22s on the register
- Registration
- N950CW · no longer on the register · serial 1637
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DEPARTED BLOCK ISLAND, RHODE ISLAND, ON A DARK NIGHT AND WAS REPORTED MISSING WHEN HE DID NOT ARRIVE AT FARMINGDALE, NEW YORK. A SEARCH WAS INITIATED, BUT THE PILOT AND HELICOPTER WERE NOT FOUND. THE TAIL SECTION OF THE HELICOPTER WAS RECOVERED BY THE COAST GUARD ON DECEMBER, 8, 1991. THE PILOT HAD APPROXIMATELY 100 HOURS TOTAL FLIGHT TIME.
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: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 100 hours in all; 100 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 890 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 21, 1991; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: BID Block Island RI at 1:10 am
- Destination: FRG Farmingdale NY
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.