- Date
- September 29, 1990, 12:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Albany, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N2550BRobinson R22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 14, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900929043369A
- Case key
- 23185
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
Fuel starvation power loss due to the inadvertent movement of the fuel selector valve by the passenger.
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 helicopter was being maneuvered at a low altitude (approximately 70 to 80 feet AGL) and a low airspeed during a coyote hunt when a total loss of power occurred as the pilot initiated a left banking turn. A downwind autorotation was attempted and a hard landing resulted. The fuel selector switch located near the passenger seat was found between the 'on' and 'off' position. Approximately 5 to 6 gallons of fuel remained in the tank. The pilot stated that the passenger may have accidentally moved the switch as he was shooting from the doorway during the flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2550B
- Reported as
- Robinson R22
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0611
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 131 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- Lange Helicopters, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Unknown
- Airport
- NONE
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
- 47
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 14,558 total · 8,914 in this make and model · 13,858 as pilot in command · 295 in the last 90 days · 111 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 135° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.