- Date
- March 3, 1991, 19:30 local (Mar 4, 1991, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- Garrisonville, VA
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2632ZRobinson R-22B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report December 14, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910303003799A
- Case key
- 11659
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance with the terrain. Contributing to the accident was VFR flight into IMC.
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 plt was en route VFR at night when he encountered poor visibility conditions. The plt stated that he decided to reverse course and during the turn he flew into clouds. According to the plt he descended in attempt to get below the clouds and struck trees.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2632Z
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 738
- Airframe hours
- 1,970
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Stephen Phillips Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 23, 1991 · 70 hours before
- Departed
- W332 · Clinton, MD
- Destination
- 8W8 · Hartwood, VA
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 24
- Certificate
- Flight instructor
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,500 total · 1,300 in this make and model · 1,288 as pilot in command · 200 in the last 90 days · 70 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 135 °F, dew point 133 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.