# Accident 20170724010259A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, White Sulphur S, MT, July 24, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 24, 2017, 19:30 local time
- Place: White Sulphur S, MT
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 46.6353° N, 110.7353° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.6353&lon=-110.7353&mi=10
- Aircraft: N233JD, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N233JD) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (registry code 7640122, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 6,295 total, 730 in this make and model, 87 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR17LA168](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR17LA168) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170724010259A

## Narrative

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

ON JULY 24, 2017, AT 1930 MDT, A ROBINSON R44, N233JD, LOST POWER AND AUTOROTATED INTO SUTHERLIN RESERVOIR, WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, MONTANA, WHILE ON A PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL

CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME, AND A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE

AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE ATP PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, MONTANA, ON JULY 24, 2017, AT 1915 MDT.

## 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 WPR17LA168](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR17LA168), Jul 25, 2017: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N233JD), Lake Sutherlin, MT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s transition into an out-of-ground-effect hover in high-density altitude conditions that exceeded the helicopter’s performance capabilities, which resulted in loss of rotor rpm.

## Other reports on N233JD (1)

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

- [Accident 20260324003489A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260324003489A), Mar 24, 2026: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II (N233JD), Fredericksburg, TX, Substantial damage. On March 24, 2026, at approximately 0930 local time, a Robinson R44 ii helicopter was substantially damaged during an accident that occurred on a private ranch…

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.