- Date
- September 20, 1991, 11:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Wexford, PA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2289KRobinson R22B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 3, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910920042199A
- Case key
- 37015
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
The pilot's improper procedures during a practice autorotation, and selection of unsuitable terrain. Contributing to the accident was a loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, at a low altitude.
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
At 600 feet AGL the pilot attempted a practice autorotation. At 200 feet AGL the pilot said the engine lost power and 'stopped completely'. The pilot did not indicate what his engine or rotor instruments were indicating prior to the loss of engine power. The main rotor blades contacted trees at approximately 25 feet AGL, and the helicopter came to rest on a 25% upward slope. The helicopter and engine were removed from the accident site. The FAA test ran the engine for 45 minutes and did not find any discrepancies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2289K
- Reported as
- Robinson R22B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0513
- Airframe hours
- 1,973
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Frank R. Zokaites
- Registered owner
- Frank R. Zokaites
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 20, 1991 · 55 hours before
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
- 35
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,054 total · 653 in this make and model · 871 as pilot in command · 60 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,800 ft broken
- Temperature
- 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.