- Date
- September 25, 1982, 13:12 local (18:12 UTC)
- Place
- Nashville, TN
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9072VRobinson R-22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 25, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820925048919A
- Case key
- 71833
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Witnesses reported that the helicopter was in cruise flight between 100 and 500 feet AGL at a high speed when slapping and cracking sounds were heard, followed by the in-flight breakup of the helicopter. The wreckage was scattered over 700 ft with the tailboom 200 ft from the main wreckage. Examination of the wreckage revealed evidence of main rotor blade divergence, main rotor blade strikes to the tailboom and separation of the main rotor mast at the top of the transmission. A metallurgist's exam of the pitch change links and main rotor blade fractures revealed overstress separations. There was no evidence of mechanical malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9072V
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0212
- Airframe hours
- 648
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 124 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Mr. Hewett Taylor
- Registered owner
- Aero International Helicopter,
- Departed
- Nashville, TN
- Destination
- Nashville, TN
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 21
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 1,046 total · 30 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,300 ft broken
- Temperature
- 154 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BNA, 7 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.