# Accident 20170219001049A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Spofford, TX, February 19, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 19, 2017, 10:00 local time
- Place: Spofford, TX
- Airport: Spofford
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Taxi
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 29.1664° N, 100.4183° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.1664&lon=-100.4183&mi=10
- Aircraft: N804DF, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N804DF-2019-11-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (registry code 7640122, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-540 series (registry code 17051, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR IO-540 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 6,905 total, 1,905 in this make and model, 39 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA17CA165](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA165) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170219001049A

## Narrative

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

AIRMAN HOVERED AN R-44 HELICOPTER INSIDE A HANGAR WITH THE INTENT OF REPOSITIONING OUTSIDE THE HANGAR FOR A FLIGHT TO ANOTHER AIRFIELD.  AIRCRAFT ROTOR SYSTEM CONTACTED THE HANGAR DOOR FRAME RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.  AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON ITS SIDE.  NO INJURIES; NO POST-CRASH FIRE; NO HAZMAT SPILL.

## 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 GAA17CA165](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA165), Feb 19, 2017: Robinson Helicopter R44 (N804DF), Spofford, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's decision to hover-taxi out of the hangar and his subsequent failure to maintain clearance from the hangar.

## Other reports on N804DF (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20150716014379A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150716014379A), Jul 16, 2015: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II (N804DF), Fentress, TX, Substantial damage. After conducting a downwind manuvering turn the low rotor RPM alert came on. Due to low altitude the pilot was unable to recover and made a hard landing from…
- [Accident 20080705839879A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080705839879A), Jul 5, 2008: Robsin R44RAVENII (N804DF), Spring Branch, TX, Substantial damage. (-23) On July 5, 2008, at approximately 1600 CDT, a Robinson R44 helicopter, N804DF, sustained substantial damage when it landed hard after loss of tail rotor…

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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