Robinson R-22 Beta II accident near Tucson, Arizona, August 13, 2007
On August 13, 2007 at about 6:10 pm local time, a Robinson R-22 Beta II (helicopter), registered N453SH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tucson, Arizona. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to maintain rotor RPM during landing approach, and the delayed remedial action by the flight instructor. A contributing factor was the high density altitude weather condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 13, 2007 · about 6:10 pm local time
- Place
- Tucson, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R-22 Beta II · all R-22 Beta IIs on the register
- Registration
- N453SH · no longer on the register · serial 4025
- 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 he was on a cross-country training flight with a student. He said the student was performing an off airport landing where the elevation was 4,500 feet mean sea level (msl); the density altitude was reported to be 7,300 feet msl. The flight instructor said that as the helicopter approached the landing site, it began to yaw right, and the left pedal was ineffective. He took control of the aircraft, and noticed that the main rotor RPM was low. He lowered the collective slightly and rolled on additional throttle. The flight instructor said that the left pedal would still not turn the helicopter into the wind. He lowered the collective again, allowed the helicopter to settle, and then pulled collective to cushion the landing. The main rotor contacted the terrain and mesquite shrub. The aircraft came to rest on its left side, facing the direction from which it came, and the tail boom was separated from the fuselage.
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; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 301 hours in all; 280 in this make and model; 56 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 72 hours in all; 72 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-J2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TUS Tucson AZ at 5:00 pm
- Destination: TUS
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 11:26 am from FHU
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.
Other NTSB records under N453SH 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.