# Incident 20180127011999I: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Kaneohe, HI, January 27, 2018

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 27, 2018, 11:30 local time
- Place: Kaneohe, HI
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 21.4093° N, 157.7896° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Kaneohe, HI, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=21.4093&lon=-157.7896&mi=10
- Aircraft: N488JB, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N488JB) (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
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540-AE1A5
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,800 total, 500 in this make and model, 71 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180127011999I

## Narrative

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

DURING A CONFINED AREA TAKEOFF ON IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA, PILOT DEPARTED IN AN AIRSPEED-OVER-ALTITUDE PROFILE.  MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK TREE BRANCHES ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT.  PILOT DID NOT NOTICE ANY UNUSUAL VIBRATIONS AND THE AIRCRAFT FLEW NORMALLY.  PILOT STATED HE WAS UNAWARE THE ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE TREE.  DURING THE POST FLIGHT INSPECTION PILOT NOTICED WHAT APPEARED TO BE A BIRD STRIKE ON THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES.  PILOT COMPLETED THE REQUIRED BLADE STRIKE INSPECTION AND PERFORMED A 100 HOUR INSPECTION.  MINOR DAMAGE WAS NOTED ON BOTH BLADES.  OPERATOR DECIDED TO REPLACE BOTH BLADES.  OPERATOR SENT DAMAGED BLADES TO ROBINSON FOR FURTHER INSPECTION.

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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