Robinson R22 Mariner accident near Hillsboro, Oregon, July 5, 2004
On July 5, 2004 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Robinson R22 Mariner (helicopter), registered N856HA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hillsboro, Oregon (Portland-Hillsboro airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control resulting in an uncontrolled descent and subsequent roll over. Low altitude flight and the pilot's encounter with settling with power were contributing factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 2004 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hillsboro, Oregon · Portland-Hillsboro · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 Mariner · all R22 Mariners on the register
- Registration
- N856HA · no longer on the register · serial 1894M
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that they were in the process of practicing "maximum performance takeoff abort - backwards." The student was on the controls during the maximum performance takeoff phase to an altitude of about 150 feet above ground level, and the instructor took over the controls to demonstrate the abort procedures. The instructor took the controls just prior to call for the abort. When the abort phase began, the instructor applied aft cyclic and slightly lowered the collective. The helicopter had been in a tail low attitude and started to descend into "settling with power." The instructor applied forward cyclic and lowered the collective, however the helicopter did not have sufficient altitude to level out or gain airspeed to recover before impacting the ground on the right side skid. The helicopter pivoted around about 180 degrees then rolled over onto its left side.
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: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,187 hours in all; 1,903 in this make and model; 176 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hillsboro Aviation Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: HIO Hillsboro OR
- Destination: HIO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.
Other NTSB records under N856HA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.