- Date
- March 16, 1987, 11:17 local (18:17 UTC)
- Place
- Scottsdale, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N2256MRobinson R-22-A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 26, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870316008009A
- Case key
- 25390
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
Witnesses observed the helicopter stop & appear to fly backwards on downwind before it fell to the ground in an uncontrolled descent. They also noted that portions of the helicopter's tail section separated as it fell to the ground. An examination of the wreckage revealed evidence of a main rotor strike on the tailboom of the helicopter. An examination of the engine revealed no evidence of mechanical problems.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2256M
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22-A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0498
- Airframe hours
- 202
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Arizona Wing & Rotor
- Registered owner
- Lm Helicopters, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 21, 1986 · 97 hours before
- Departed
- SDL
- Airport
- SDL · Scottsdale, runway 21, 8,250 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 40
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 180 total · 180 in this make and model · 115 as pilot in command · 53 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SDL, 1 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.