Robinson R22 Beta accident near Renton, Washington, January 11, 2002
On January 11, 2002 at about 7:31 pm local time, a Robinson R22 Beta (helicopter), registered N7185A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Renton, Washington. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's failure to ensure that adequate altitude/clearance above the ground was maintained during hovering flight, resulting in an inadvertent ground contact and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter. A factor was the flight instructor's failure to ensure adequate control of the aircraft was maintained in the hover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 11, 2002 · about 7:31 pm local time
- Place
- Renton, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 Beta · all R22 Betas on the register
- Registration
- N7185A · registry record · serial 2997
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The accident occurred during a hover demonstration to a prospective student on an introductory helicopter flight. The dual student reported that at the time of the accident, they were hovering at 4 to 5 feet. The dual student reported that the instructor had a hold of the cyclic, and that "I had a loose grip on it and we tipped back." The student stated that "We went straight up in the air for ten to fifteen feet and immediately banked left, almost up side down." The instructor reported that after demonstrating hovering flight to the student, she had the student take hold of the cyclic control with her. She stated that while maintaining control of the collective and pedals, she verified cyclic control transfer with the student and let her hand loose around the cyclic grip. The instructor reported that the helicopter then began to drift slightly sideways, forward and backward. She stated that she then took the cyclic control back and stabilized the hover. She stated that she then briefly described hovering flight to the student again, then had him take hold of the cyclic with her again as she kept control of the collective and pedals. She stated that after verifying cyclic control transfer with the student, she again let her hand loose around the cyclic grip. She reported that the helicopter then started to move forward. She stated that the student "reacted by applying gradual aft cyclic at first, then quickly applied more aft cyclic." She stated that, "Before full correction could be applied, the aircraft hit the ground. The helicopter then lifted back up a little, and started spinning to the right before falling on its side." The operator's accident report to the NTSB indicated that no mechanical malfunction or failure was involved in the accident.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 475 hours in all; 465 in this make and model; 88 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 395 as pilot in command; 245 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 25, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,862 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 14, 2001; 67.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-J2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BFI Seattle WA at 7:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,500 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from RNT, 3 miles away
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.