- Date
- March 14, 1983, 14:15 local (20:15 UTC)
- Place
- St. Louis, MO
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9024ZRobinson R-22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830314007489A
- Case key
- 33321
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 observed by several witnesses flying at 200-300 feet above the Mississippi river. As it wobbled and buffeted and rolled to the right. It was spinning and the tail rotor separated shortly followed by an explosion with a blueish/white smoke and pieces flying off as it fell inverted. During the fall the main rotor separated and what was left fell into the river. A tug boat recovered some papers, two cushions and a wallet belonging to the student pilot. Searching and dragging operations were conducted for 4 days with negative results and were terminated. The wreckage and bodies have not been recovered.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9024Z
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0038
- Airframe hours
- 339
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 124 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- Unknown
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Stephan C. Lieber
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 28, 1983 · 17 hours before
- Departed
- CPS · East St. Louis, IL
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 20
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 748 total · 110 in this make and model · 581 as pilot in command · 112 in the last 90 days · 39 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CPS, 4 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.