# Accident 20170803017929A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Solomon, AK, August 3, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 3, 2017, 10:32 local time
- Place: Solomon, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: FXTA
- Location: 64.5661° N, 164.2964° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=64.5661&lon=-164.2964&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4138M, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4138M-2023-02-04) (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
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 3,800 total, 300 in this make and model, 120 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC17LA040](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC17LA040) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170803017929A

## Narrative

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

PILOT STATED HE  WAS LOWER THAN HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN AND LOST SITUATIONAL AWARENESS WHEN WORKING WITH THE GPS. HE MIGHT HAVE PUSHED FORWARD ON THE

CYCLIC AS HE LEANED FORWARD TO THE GPS UNIT. THE FIRST INDICATION OF A PROBLEM WAS THE HELICOPTER SLOWING AND WATER APPEARING ON THE BUBBLE.

THE HELCOPTER QUICKLY ROLLED ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE IN ABOUT 3-4 FEET OF WATER.

## 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 ANC17LA040](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC17LA040), Aug 3, 2017: Robinson Helicopter R44 (N4138M), Solomon, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude above water, and his loss of situational awareness, which resulted in an inadvertent descent and collision with water.

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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