- Date
- May 5, 1985, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- San Angelo, TX
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N83745Robinson R-22 HP
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850505016969A
- Case key
- 21545
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
A loss of control in flight for undetermined reasons.
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 ATP pilot was preparing for his CFI helo check flight. Dual flight controls were installed before departure. The passenger had no recorded flight experience. About 8 minutes after departure the helicopter's main rotor blade struck and severed the tailboom. The helicopter descended out of control and crashed in about a 135 degree angle of bank. The in-flight breakup resulted in a trail of wreckage and personal articles about 1200 feet long. Examination of the wreckage revealed evidence of main rotor blade divergence, severence of the tail boom, and separation of the main rotor mast at the top of the transmission. There was no evidence of mechanical malfunction prior to the in-flight breakup.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N83745
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22 HP
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0320
- Airframe hours
- 1,478
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- American Helicopters Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 25, 1985 · 79 hours before
- Departed
- SJT · San Angelo, TX
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
- 33
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 2,433 total · 115 in this make and model · 2,111 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SJT, 3 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.