Robinson R-22 accident near Boise, Idaho, July 29, 2004
On July 29, 2004 at about 5:15 am local time, a Robinson R-22 (helicopter), registered N8356R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Boise, Idaho. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to initiate a flare prior to contacting the ground while attempting to land the helicopter on a dark night. Factors include a distraction created by the flicker of a low rotor rpm light, the glare of nearby flood lights, and the lack of ambient illumination of the landing area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 2004 · about 5:15 am local time
- Place
- Boise, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R-22 · all R-22s on the register
- Registration
- N8356R · registry record · serial 2729
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During his first approach the pilot noted that it was a very dark night, and that there were some brightly shining "flood lights" in his eleven o'clock position while he was on short final for landing. Even though the flood lights were "limiting" his vision, his first landing was successful. After the first landing, the pilot hovered near the touchdown point for a few minutes, and then was cleared by the tower to proceed around the pattern for another landing. When the pilot was on short final for the second landing, while the helicopter was still about 50 feet above the ground, he saw the low rotor rpm light flicker. He therefore reduced collective and checked the rpm gage, which showed that both the engine and rotor rpm were where they should be. Soon thereafter the helicopter impacted the runway surface. The flickering of the warning light, along with the pilot's glance at the rpm gage, caused him to momentarily be distracted, and that, along with the effect of the food lights and the dark night, resulted in him not seeing the ground in time to initiate a landing flare.
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: 126 hours in all; 54 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-J2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Silverhawk Aviation Academy
The flight
- Departed from: EUL Caldwell ID
- Destination: BOI Boise ID
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- 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.
Other NTSB records under N8356R 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.