Robinson R22-A accident near Portland, Oregon, April 25, 1986
On April 25, 1986 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Robinson R22-A (helicopter), registered N8536Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Portland, Oregon. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 25, 1986 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Portland, Oregon
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22-A · all R22-As on the register
- Registration
- N8536Z · registry record · serial 0439
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT APRX 500 FT AGL, WHILE ON A LOCAL TRAFFIC WATCH, A LOSS OF PWR OCCURRED. A 15 KT TAIL WIND WAS PRESENT. PWR LINES HAD TO BE CLEARED AND A HARD LANDING RESULTED. AN EXAMINATION AND TEST RUN OF THE ENG FAILED TO DISCLOSE ANY FAILURE/ MALFUNCTION WHICH WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE PWR LOSS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 448 hours in all; 107 in this make and model; 69 in the last 90 days; 236 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,090 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 10, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HIO Hillsboro OR at 2:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.