Robinson R22 Beta 2 accident near Taylorsville, Utah, March 20, 2007
On March 20, 2007, a Robinson R22 Beta 2 (helicopter), registered N74347, was substantially damaged in an accident near Taylorsville, Utah (Salt Lake #2 airport). 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 maintain aircraft control during the flare/touchdown while practicing an autorotation which resulted in a hard landing. A factor which contributed to the accident was the downdraft wind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 20, 2007
- Place
- Taylorsville, Utah · Salt Lake #2 · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 Beta 2 · all R22 Beta 2s on the register
- Registration
- N74347 · registry record · serial 3759
- 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 was providing instruction to the private pilot, who was training for a commercial rating. While practicing a 180-degree autorotation, a downdraft was encountered approximately 200 feet above ground level (agl), and the helicopter made a hard landing. The flight instructor stated, "I said that I had [the] controls and proceeded to bring back the power at about 150 feet agl. Everything was good; rotor and engine rpm were in the green. I pulled collective up as I've done in previous situations, but this time it was different. I pulled collective, but it was almost as if the helicopter couldn't fly out of it." No anomalies were reported with the helicopter.
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: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 786 hours in all; 634 in this make and model; 198 in the last 90 days; 93 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 102 hours in all; 97 in this make and model; 53 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Suncrest Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: U77 Spanish Fork UT
- Destination: U77 Spanish Fork UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 5,860 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.