Robinson R22 accident near Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, May 3, 2012
On May 3, 2012 at about 3:00 am local time, a Robinson R22 (helicopter), registered N209KR, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power while maneuvering for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 2012 · about 3:00 am local time
- Place
- Kailua-Kona, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 BETA · all R22s on the register
- Registration
- N209KR · no longer on the register · serial 2218
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While the student pilot was maneuvering for a practice off-field landing, the flight instructor observed that it was starting to drizzle, so he instructed the student to apply carburetor heat, which he did. As the student was continuing to maneuver for the approach to landing, the instructor detected a loss of engine power. The flight instructor immediately took control of the helicopter, rolled the throttle off and on to recover the loss of rotor rpm, and subsequently instructed the student to try to restart the engine while he set up an emergency landing. The student attempted three engine restarts, each of which was unsuccessful. The flight instructor then performed an emergency autorotation to upsloping terrain, which resulted in a hard landing and substantial damage to the helicopter. The instructor stated that the engine was running at idle after the landing. A postaccident examination of the engine and a subsequent engine run revealed no operational difficulties that would have precluded normal operation. The reason for the loss of engine power 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
What happened, in order
- Simulated/training event during maneuvering
- Autorotation Loss of engine power (partial) defining event
- Autorotation Off-field or emergency landing
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven › Not specified
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 400 hours in all; 303 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 351 as pilot in command; 140 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 1, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 72 hours in all; 72 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,379 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 5, 2012; 79 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hawaii Pacific Aviation Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: HKO Kailua-Kona HI at 2:30 am
- Destination: HKO Kailua-Kona HI
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 am from HKO, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 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.