Robinson R22 Beta accident near Brady, TX
On May 14, 2023, a Robinson R22 Beta (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Brady, TX. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- May 14, 2023
- Place
- Brady, TX
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 Beta · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 31.226°N, 99.359°W
- NTSB ID
- 20230515174530
Official records · CEN23FA183
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn May 14, 2023, at an unknown time, a Robinson R22 Beta helicopter, N40506, was substantially damaged during a crash near Brady, Texas. The non-certificated pilot was fatally injured. Although the helicopter was operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91, evidence from the investigation suggests there was no intent for flight as defined by 49 CFR § 830.2 and, accordingly, the event was not classified as an accident. There were no witnesses to the crash. According to one of the pilot’s daughters, the pilot regularly attended a Sunday morning church service at 1100 in Brady, Texas, but on the morning of the crash he was not seen at the church service. After several unsuccessful attempts to reach the pilot via phone on the afternoon of May 14 and the morning of May 15, a family member asked a neighbor to check on the pilot at his residence, where the helicopter wreckage and pilot were found near the house. The pilot was reportedly wearing his church clothes and dress boots. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONA search of FAA airman certification records found no record of a pilot certificate ever being issued to the pilot. The pilot’s family provided a pilot logbook that contained a combined FAA third-class medical and student pilot certificate dated February 3, 1970. The medical/student pilot certificate was expired. The final logbook entry was a 90-day solo endorsement for a Cessna 172 airplane dated January 17, 1971. Further review of the pilot logbook did not reveal any flights completed in a helicopter. According to the pilot’s family, he had ser
Probable cause
The non-certificated pilot’s failure to ensure the collective friction control was adequately engaged during an on-ground engine run, which resulted in the helicopter inadvertently becoming airborne. Contributing to the crash were the pilot’s various physical and mental conditions and his use of potentially impairing medications.
More accidents in TX
- Kubicek BB85, Jul 30, 2016
- Robertson C-414, Jul 29, 1982
- Textron Aviation B-300, Jun 30, 2019
- Beech B100, Nov 26, 1983
- Consolidated-Vultee PBY-6A, Oct 13, 1984
Browse: Texas · Robinson aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
