Robinson R22 Beta accident near Arlington, Washington, November 27, 2004
On November 27, 2004 at about 5:35 pm local time, a Robinson R22 Beta (helicopter), registered N4029Q, was destroyed in an accident near Arlington, Washington. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The divergence of the main rotor from its normal plane of rotation for an undetermined reason, resulting in rotor contact with the aircraft's left windscreen. The failure of the door pins to be installed was a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 27, 2004 · about 5:35 pm local time
- Place
- Arlington, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 Beta · all R22 Betas on the register
- Registration
- N4029Q · no longer on the register · serial 1529
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
This was the pilot-rated student's first instructional flight in the recently rebuilt helicopter, which he purchased three days prior to the accident flight. About 5 minutes after the helicopter's departure on the accident flight, witnesses reported hearing a loud bang and watching the helicopter fall to the ground. The helicopter impacted terrain in an approximately level attitude, coming to rest in an upright position. There was no postcrash fire. All major components of the helicopter were accounted for and recovered before being moved to a secured storage facility. Both of the helicopter's doors separated from the aircraft in flight. The right door was recovered intact and not damaged, while the left door was accounted for in multiple fragmented pieces, including the door handle and frame, and the door latching mechanism. Both tail rotor blades were located 500 to 600 feet prior to the main impact point, with one blade exhibiting two large impact areas near the tip of the leading edge. One impact area was more rounded than the other, with the other impact area being broader and very flat. Examinations of paint transfers revealed that the material on the leading edge of a piece of main rotor blade and on the door latching mechanism were transferred paint from the tailboom, and that the yellow paint on the main rotor blade was similar to the paint from the tail rotor blade and likely from the same source. The sequence of events preceding the day of the accident flight, as well as the physical evidence examined during the investigation, indicates that the door pins were not installed prior to the flight. Physical evidence consistent with the helicopter's main rotor diverging from its normal plane of rotation and striking the left windscreen was observed in the form of an area of black transfer material, which measured 24 inches by 5 inches on the upper left outboard area of the left windscreen. The initiating event that produced the main rotor divergence could not be determined.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,100 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 300 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,728.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2004; 4.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AWO Arlington WA at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 5:35 pm from AWO, 2 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.