# Accident 20170731012729A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Dunlap, IL, July 31, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 31, 2017, 11:45 local time
- Place: Dunlap, IL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Other, Specify
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: L8CG
- Location: 40.8617° N, 89.6786° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8617&lon=-89.6786&mi=10
- Aircraft: N344MM, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N344MM-2019-11-14) (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: 11,000 total, 650 in this make and model, 200 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA17CA450](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA450) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170731012729A

## Narrative

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

NARRATIVE OF SEQUENCE OF EVENTS RELATIVE TO THE ACCIDENT:

A ROBINSON R-44 HELICOPTER ENGAGED IN AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS DEPARTED FROM A NURSE TRUCK PLATFORM WITH THE CHEMICAL SUPPLY HOSE ATTACHED TO THE CHEMICAL TANK FITTING ON THE HELICOPTER.

UPON DEPARTURE THE PILOT BECAME AWARE OF THE CHEMICAL HOSE CONNECTION AND ABORTED THE TAKEOFF TO A LANDING ADJACENT TO THE NURSE TRUCK.

DURING THE LANDING SEQUENCE, THE PILOT ALLOWED THE TAIL ROTOR TO STRIKE THE TOP RAILING OF THE NURSE TRUCK PLATFORM ALLOWING THE HELICOPTER TO SPIN CLOCKWISE ONE QUARTER TURN BEFORE ARRESTING ON THE GROUND.

-END-

## 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 GAA17CA450](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA450), Jul 31, 2017: Robinson Helicopter R44 (N344MM), Dunlap, IL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to visually confirm that the helicopter was disconnected from hoses during refueling operations. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s and ground crew’s misunderstanding of…

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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