# Accident 20140224002339A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Marfa, TX, February 24, 2014

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 24, 2014, 13:30 local time
- Place: Marfa, TX
- Airport: Marfa, Tx
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 29.6369° N, 103.9844° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.6369&lon=-103.9844&mi=10
- Aircraft: N360AH, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N360AH) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (registry code 7640122, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 (registry code 41899, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-ae1a5) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540-AE1A5
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 239 total, 239 in this make and model, 22 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN14LA149](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA149) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140224002339A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON 2/24/2014, AT 13:30, A ROBINSON R-44 II, HELICOPTER BEARING REGISTRATION NUMBER N360AH, REGISTERED TO NOPAL SERVICES LLC, WAS HOVERING ABOVE THE GROUND AT ABOUT 12-15 FEET.  THE PILOT STARTED TO TRANSITION AND LOST SUFFICIENT POWER TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, LOW ROTOR RPM HORN SOUNDED, DROPPED THE COLLECTIVE, TRY TO "FLY OUT OF IT", BUT TOO CLOSE TO THE GROUND, LOST TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS.  STARTED TO SPIN AT 5 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, MADE 1 REVOLUTION, THEN TRIED TO PUT IT DOWN, GROUND WAS UNLEVEL, PICKED THE HELICOPTER UP, BUT COULD NOT RECOVER, HIT SURFACE FROM A COUPLE OF FEET AND ROLLED OVER ON SIDE; AT PRIVATE RANCH SOUTH OF MARFA, TEXAS.  THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING OPERATED ON A VISUAL FLIGHT.  VISUAL  METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.  THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR, INJURIES.  THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM PRIVATE RANCH ON 2/24/2014 AT 1330.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN14LA149](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA149), Feb 24, 2014: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N360AH), Presidio, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient rotor rpm when transitioning the helicopter from a hover to forward flight, which resulted in a loss of helicopter control.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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