# NTSB CEN26LA203: Robinson Helicopter R66, N5488H, Fort Worth, TX, May 27, 2026 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: May 27, 2026, 08:48 local (13:48 UTC) - Place: Fort Worth, TX - Coordinates: 32.990307, -97.319429 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.9903&lon=-97.3194&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-hover: Dynamic rollover](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/231) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor - Status: Completed, report September 11, 2026 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - NTX FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 203076 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN26LA203 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/203076/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=203076 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA203 ## Probable cause The flight instructor’s delayed remedial action and the student pilot’s failure to maintain helicopter control during hover. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R66, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7640130), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/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 R66, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md?model=7640130), [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 R66, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=7640130), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-hover: Dynamic rollover](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/231) (defining event); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R66, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/231/sequence.md?model=7640130), [All aircraft, 161 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/231/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight instructor stated that his student was practicing hovering in the helicopter. While hovering, the helicopter began to “slide down and to the left”. As the flight instructor gave verbal instructions to the student, the helicopter yawed to the right as the collective was pulled and moved to the left toward the ground. He said he remembered the left skid contacted the ground as he attempted to recover. The flight instructor believed that the skid caught on a crack in the pavement which resulted in the helicopter rolling to its left side. The student pilot reported that while hovering the helicopter started to “veer to the right” and the instructor said, “my controls”. Just at that moment the helicopter rolled onto its side. The operator reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. In response to the accident, the operator instituted an internal review of hovering instruction methodologies, instructor intervention strategies, and low-hover risk mitigation procedures associated with primary and transition helicopter training. The organization implemented enhanced standardization measures focused on instructor recognition of early rollover precursors, intervention timing, verbal cuing techniques, and defined control transfer protocols during hover operations. Additional emphasis on dynamic rollover awareness, critical rollover angle recognition, and instructor decision-making during low altitude training events were also implemented. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5488H](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5488H), registered now, S/N 1639, built 2025 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER CO R66 - Registry model: [Robinson Helicopter R66](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r66) (registry code 7640130) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rolls-Royce 250-C300/A1](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c300-a1) (registry code 54232, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 1639 - Year built: 2025 - Airframe hours: 330 - Engines: Rolls Royce 250-C300A/1 300 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Helicopter Institute, Inc. - Registered owner: Higgins Leasing Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 4, 2026, 40 hours before - Airport: AFW, Perot Fld/Fort Worth Alliance - Equipment: ADS-B, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Video recording device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; injuries: serious; commercial, flight instructor; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 1,156 total, 21 in this make and model, 1,062 as pilot in command, 29 in the last 90 days, 23 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours - Pilot; age 23; injuries: minor; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 10 total, 3 in this make and model, 0 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 29.94 inHg - Observed at: KAFW - METAR: METAR KAFW 261353Z 14006KT 10SM FEW050 SCT120 BKN250 23/19 A2994 RMK AO2 PRESRR SLP116 T02280194 PNO $ ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 11, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=203076. 2.2 MB in all. - Flight instructor statement (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 384 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20637920&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Incident%20Statemenet_Moore_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Student pilot statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 31 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20638772&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=INCIDENT%20STATEMENT%20_%20MARTINEZ.docx_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Accident photographs (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 2 photos, 614 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20638354&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos-Rel.pdf - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 4, PDF, 10 pages, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20860986&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Report_Redacted-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.