Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA accident near Midway, Utah, April 8, 2023
On April 8, 2023 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 2004 Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, registered N7530D, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Midway, Utah. 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 pilot’s failure to maintain aircraft control during a pinnacle landing that resulted in a hard landing and subsequent roll over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 8, 2023 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Midway, Utah · 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, built 2004 · all R22 BETAs on the register
- Registration
- N7530D · no longer on the register · serial 3619
- 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 during an instructional flight, he and his student were approaching a ridge line to conduct a practice pinnacle landing. The student pilot stated that as they were over the ridge line, the helicopter was struck by a wind gust, and it yawed to the right. He added left anti-torque pedal to correct the yaw, then the low RPM horn sounded, and the instructor took the flight controls. He lowered the collective and added forward cyclic to move away from terrain, however the helicopter landed hard in the snow and rolled onto its right side. The tail boom was substantially damaged. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Roll over during landing defining event
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Yaw control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 96 hours in all; 96 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 31 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 554 hours in all; 421 in this make and model; 125 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 436 as pilot in command; 245 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 4, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,819.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 10, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-J2A (piston); 8,819 hours total
- Operator: Utah State University
The flight
- Departed from: KOGD Ogden UT at 5:00 pm
- Destination: KHCR Heber City UT
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 am from KU42, 24 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KU42 081755Z AUTO 16009KT 10SM CLR 16/M02 A3009
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on July 7, 2023. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/cfi Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot/student Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Aircraft Damage Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N7530D 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.