Date:	Saturday 6 March 2010
Time:	11:20
Type:	Robinson R22 Beta II
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	N922SH
MSN:	3863
Year of manufacture:	2005
Total airframe hrs:	1935 hours
Engine model:	Lycoming O-360-J2A
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	near Cotulla, TX -   United States of America
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Survey
Departure airport:	Cotulla, TX (private)
Destination airport:	Cotulla, TX (private)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
On March 6, 2010, about 1120 central standard time, a Robinson R22 Beta II, N922SH, was substantially damaged during impact with terrain while maneuvering at low altitude at the Agave Ranch near Cotulla, Texas. The commercial pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The helicopter was registered to and operated by a private individual. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 local flight

During a safety briefing prior to the flight, the pilot mentioned that he would be operating with a limited amount of fuel so that the two-seat helicopter would be more maneuverable. Witnesses reported observing the pilot add fuel while the helicopter was running between several flights; however, no one recalled the pilot adding fuel before the last flight. The truck-mounted fuel tank that the pilot used to fuel the helicopter did not have a gauge or means to determine how much fuel was being pumped into the helicopter. The pilot was on his sixth flight of the day when the accident occurred. Approximately 10 minutes after the flight departed, several waiting passengers heard what they described as a sound that resembled a lawn mower bogging down in tall grass. The helicopter wreckage was located a short time later. A postaccident investigation showed only residual fuel in each of the helicopter’s two fuel tanks. Neither tank exhibited hydraulic deformation and no significant fuel blight was observed on the surrounding vegetation. The helicopter was being operating at a low altitude that would not allow for a successful autorotation in the event of a loss of engine power. No evidence of mechanical failure of the helicopter structure, flight controls, systems, or engine was found.

Probable Cause: A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate fuel planning. Contributing to the accident was the low-altitude operating environment that would not allow for a successful autorotation after the loss of engine power.

NTSB
https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75449

Photo: NTSB

Photo: NTSB

Wreckage of N922SH used as crash investigation training aid in 2014 at Dayton Beach, Florida (00:50-01:24):

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
07-Mar-2010 03:38	RobertMB	Added
07-Mar-2010 07:43	RobertMB	Updated [Time, ]
07-Mar-2010 07:59	rvargast17	Updated [Time, ]
08-Mar-2010 00:31	RobertMB	Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Source, ]
04-Oct-2016 22:21	Dr.John Smith	Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Damage, Narrative, ]
21-Dec-2016 19:25	ASN Update Bot	Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency, ]
26-Nov-2017 15:56	ASN Update Bot	Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ]
21-Sep-2018 00:10	Dr.John Smith	Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Location, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative, ]
04-Aug-2025 22:42	Captain Adam	Updated [Location, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Photo, ]
04-Aug-2025 22:43	Captain Adam	Updated [Photo, ]