# Accident 20150825015619A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Ketchum, OK, August 25, 2015

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 25, 2015, 07:45 local time
- Place: Ketchum, OK
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.5492° N, 95.0003° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.5492&lon=-95.0003&mi=10
- Aircraft: N444KD (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN15LA379](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15LA379) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150825015619A

## Narrative

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

THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED KETCHUM AIRPORT NORTH WESTERLY. DURING CLIMB OUT THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD BOOM AT APPROXIMATELY 300 FT AGL AND 80-90 KNOTS. THE AIRCRAFT VEERED LEFT, PILOT NOTICED LOSS OF PEDAL CONTROLS AND BEGAN AUTOROTATION, FLARING THE AIRCRAFT CAUSING THE TAIL SECTION TO DEPART THE AIRCRAFT AFTER IMPACTING THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED IN MOTION IN THE AIR FOR APPROXIMATELY 150' WITH FUSELEAGE IMPACTING GROUND AND COMING TO REST ON IT'S RIGHT SIDE. THE PILOT THEN EXITED THROUGH THE LEFT DOOR.

## 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 CEN15LA379](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15LA379), Aug 25, 2015: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N444KD), Ketchum, OK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The separation of the tail rotor gearbox from the tailboom aft bulkhead due to overstress loads imposed by a blade imbalance from an in-flight impact with an undetermined object.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.