19810503022229A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robsin R22 · Balmorhea, TX · May 3, 1981

Date
May 3, 1981 · 17:30 local
Place
Balmorhea, TX
Phase of flight
Hovering
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N9043Y
NTSB investigation
NTSBFTW81DQD19
Reported as
Robsin R22
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
3,937 total111 in this make and model235 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

RPM decayed during hover. Nearby storm increased surface wind, creating downdraft. Main rotor struck ground.

As the FAA filed it

RPM DECAYED DURING HOVER. NEARBY STORM INCREASED SURFACE WIND, CREATING DOWNDRAFT. MAIN ROTOR STRUCK GROUND.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.