- Date
- February 22, 1986, 19:00 local (Feb 23, 1986, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Greenville, TN
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N90459Robinson R22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report February 9, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860222004889A
- Case key
- 6927
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
The flt was last seen to depart rwy 23 at the Greenville arpt & enter a low cloud layer at ngt. A witness estimated the helicopter entered the clouds at about 300 to 400 ft AGL. No flt plan was filed. The wreckage was found the next day, located about 1/4 mi south of the extended rwy centerline. An exam revealed the initial impact was with a tree. The helicopter then impacted the ground, aprx 75 ft downhill & north of the initial tree impact point. No preimpact part failure or malfunction was found; however, the helicopter was extensively damaged (destroyed) when it crashed. The plt was not instrument rated. A toxicology check showed only a slight amount (375 ng/ml) of butalbital in the plt's urine. A check of his blood was negative for drugs/medication.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N90459
- Reported as
- Robinson R22
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0108
- Airframe hours
- 850
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2C, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Dr. Darriel S.Slagle
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Destination
- Knoxville, TN
- Airport
- GCY · Greenville Muni, runway 23, 6,300 × 100 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 31
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 390 total · 274 in this make and model · 281 as pilot in command · 31 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 290° at 6 knots
- Temperature
- 41 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TYS, 65 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.