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20230831020299A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA · Princeton, NJ · August 31, 2023

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 31, 2023 · 15:24 local
Place
Princeton, NJ
Airport
Princeton Airport
Phase of flight
Maneuver
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N2356M
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA23FA357
Reported as
Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta
Reported engine
Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
Other injuries
0
N2356MRegistered now · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETAS/N 2262 · Built 1993Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 BETAEngine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

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.

Airman was practicing take off and landings in preparation for his rotorcraft helicopter add-on rating. Aircraft broke up in flight while maneuvering due to unknown reasons.

A photographer on the ground captured the aircraft flying towards her position and subsequently shows the main rotor impacting the tail boom, separating the tail rotor from the aircraft. The tail rotor has not been located.

As the FAA filed it

AIRMAN WAS PRACTICING TAKE OFF AND LANDINGS IN PREPARATION FOR HIS ROTORCRAFT HELICOPTER ADD-ON RATING. AIRCRAFT BROKE UP IN FLIGHT WHILE MANEUVERING DUE TO UNKNOWN REASONS.

A PHOTOGRAPHER ON THE GROUND CAPTURED THE AIRCRAFT FLYING TOWARDS HER POSITION AND SUBSEQUENTLY SHOWS THE MAIN ROTOR IMPACTING THE TAIL BOOM, SEPARATING THE TAIL ROTOR FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE TAIL ROTOR HAS NOT BEEN LOCATED.

NTSB investigation

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

NTSB ERA23FA357Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportKingston, NJA loss of control, which resulted in the main rotor blade severing the tail boom, for reasons that could not be determined.Aug 31, 2023 · Substantial damage