Robinson R22-BETA accident near Fairfield, New Jersey, March 23, 1996
On March 23, 1996 at about 1:32 pm local time, a Robinson R22-BETA (helicopter), registered N221CW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fairfield, New Jersey (Essex 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 flight instructor's inadequate supervision in that he delayed corrective action in recovering the low rotor RPM resulting in a loss of control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 23, 1996 · about 1:32 pm local time
- Place
- Fairfield, New Jersey · Essex County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22-BETA · all R22-BETAs on the register
- Registration
- N221CW · registry record · serial 2060
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot had been performing hover practice. During an ascent to a hover, the helicopter drifted left and rearward, and the main rotor RPM decayed. The CFI took over the controls and attempted to stabilize the helicopter, when the helicopter's tail rotor struck the ground. The helicopter then spun 720 degrees, struck the ground and rolled over. Examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact failure of the helicopter controls or drive train.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,400 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 9,000 as pilot in command; 3,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 984 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 22, 1996; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Skyline Helicopters, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: CDW at 1:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:33 pm from CDW
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.