# NTSB CEN25LA302: Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta, N4684S, Taylor, TX, August 3, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: August 3, 2025, 12:22 local (17:22 UTC) - Place: Taylor, TX - Coordinates: 30.572639, -97.443194 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.5726&lon=-97.4432&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, San Antonio FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 200693 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA302 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200693/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200693 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA302 ## Probable cause The flight instructor’s inadequate supervision and delayed remedial action which resulted in a skid contacting the terrain. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s improper judgement to allow the student pilot to manipulate the flight controls at a low altitude/hover. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 17 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 20 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md) - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 35 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md) - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring other person](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535): Personnel issues › Psychological · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 15 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535/cases.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 200 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 96 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 67 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) ## Analysis During the instructional flight, the flight instructor demonstrated each flight control to the student pilot at an altitude of 1 to 4 ft above the ground, and then allowed the student pilot to manipulate one flight control at a time. The student pilot manipulated the cyclic control several times with no issue but later allowed a slow drift to occur, which moved the helicopter away from its initial ground reference point. The flight instructor then took the flight controls and returned the helicopter to the reference point. During the student pilot’s last attempt at manipulating the cyclic control, the helicopter drifted to a dirt area, descended, and its skid contacted the ground. The helicopter rolled over and impacted terrain resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage, main rotor, and main rotor gearbox. The flight instructor stated he was too slow to take the controls from the student pilot, which resulted in the helicopter’s impact with terrain. The flight instructor stated there was no mechanical malfunction/failure of the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. The Helicopter Instructor’s Handbook, FAA-H-8083-4, states in part, “…beginning the flight instruction at altitude is a good way to allow the student to manipulate all of the controls at one time and with a larger margin of error than beginning the flight instruction at a hover.” ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4684S](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4684S), registered now, S/N 2996, built 1999 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22 BETA - Registry model: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta) (registry code 7640110) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-360-J2A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-j2a) (registry code 42314, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 2996 - Year built: 1999 - Airframe hours: 4936 - Engines: LYCOMING O-360-J2A 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 10, 2025 - Departed: T74, Taylor, TX - Destination: T74, Taylor, TX - Airport: T74, Taylor Municipal Airport, runway 17, 4,000 × 75 ft, concrete - Equipment: ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 29; injuries: minor; commercial, flight instructor; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review November 30, 2024; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 710 total, 228 in this make and model, 279 as pilot in command, 31 in the last 90 days, 19 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 68; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; seat: right; flight hours: 2,000 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 90° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 91 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 30.07 inHg - Observed at: T74, 0.15 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20250803009189A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250803009189A), Aug 3, 2025: Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, Taylor, TX, Substantial damage. While conducting a flight lesson with a new student, the instructor/pic was demonstrating maneuvers while hovering. While at the controls, the student made an… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 18, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200693. 3.8 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 - unsigned (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19183468&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20Master_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 - signed (item 2, PDF, 10 pages, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19183078&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20Signed%20Master_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� record of conversation student pilot (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 63 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19175091&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Template%20Robert%20Barber-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 531 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19176265&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Template-Rel.pdf From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.