Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta II accident near Encinitas, California, February 18, 2009
On February 18, 2009 at about 4:05 pm local time, a Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta II, registered N588LE, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Encinitas, California. It was a personal 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
A partial loss of engine power for an undetermined reason. Contributing to the accident was the soft terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 18, 2009 · about 4:05 pm local time
- Place
- Encinitas, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta II · all R22 Beta IIs on the register
- Registration
- N588LE · registry record · serial 3588
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot, who also operated the flight school that owned the helicopter, reported that he was giving a prospective flight instructor a pre-employment check ride. The flight instructor entered a practice autorotation from approximately 700 to 800 feet mean sea level to the beach at the ocean shoreline with the plan to perform a power recovery. When the flight instructor attempted to increase power, the power recovered to only approximately 70 percent. The pilot took the flight controls and performed an emergency autorotation to the sandy beach. The helicopter's forward motion was between 3 to 5 knots when it touched down. The pilot said the helicopter stopped suddenly due to the wet sand, causing the aircraft to rock forward and back. The backward motion permitted a main rotor blade to slice through and separate the tail boom. A post accident engine run was performed with no operational difficulties noted.
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
What happened, in order
- Simulated/training event during maneuvering
- Autorotation Loss of engine power (partial)
- Autorotation Off-field or emergency landing
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Soft › Contributed to outcome
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot (unmanned)
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,200 hours in all; 410 in this make and model; 125 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 2,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 7, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 260 hours in all; 260 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 200 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 27, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,530 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 2, 2009; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-2JA (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Ddg Management, LLC.
The flight
- Departed from: CRQ Carlsbad CA at 3:55 pm
- Destination: CRQ Carlsbad CA
- Flight plan: not recorded
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from CRG, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.