# Accident 20181110017169A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Hanapepe, HI, November 10, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 10, 2018, 13:15 local time
- Place: Hanapepe, HI
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Other, Specify
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 21.9669° N, 159.5083° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=21.9669&lon=-159.5083&mi=10
- Aircraft: N445KP, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N445KP) (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: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,500 total, 1,450 in this make and model, 313 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA19CA066](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA066) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20181110017169A

## Narrative

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

11/10/2018 - HAWAII PACIFIC INC. (DBA) MAUNA LOA HELICOPTERS OPERATING A R44

MANUFACTURED ROBINSON HELICOPTER, TAIL NUMBER N445KP.  THE COMPANY WAS OPERATING A 91 AIR TOUR ON THE ISLAND OF KAUAI NEAR THE CITY OF HANAPEPE. THE PILOT INITIATED AN EMERGENCY LANDING AND LANDED SAFELY WITHOUT INJURIES TO HIMSELF AND HIS TWO PASSENGERS.

DURING A DESCENDING RIGHT TURN INTO HANAPEPE VALLEY HE FELT AN IMPACT TO HIS PEDALS.  HE LOOKED BACK AT THE PASSENGER SEATED BEHIND HIM AND NOTED SHE DID NOT HAVE HER CELL PHONE.  THE PASSENGER?S CELL PHONE FLEW OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND STRUCK THE TAIL ROTOR CAUSING THE PILOT TO PERFORM AN EMERGENCY LANDING.

THE OBVIOUS AND ONLY IMPACT FROM THE CELL PHONE WAS TO THE HELICOPTERS TAIL ROTOR BLADE.

STATEMENT FROM PIC:

"THE PASSENGERS WERE VIDEO BRIEFED, SIGNED A WAIVER AND WERE BRIEFED VERBALLY BY MYSELF PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT. THEY STILL INTENDED TO TAKE THEIR CELL PHONES WITHOUT CASES. I REFUSED AND PROVIDED A CASE TO THE FEMALE OCCUPANT SEATED IN THE BACK RIGHT OF THE R44, IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE PILOT.

DURING A DESCENDING RIGHT TURN INTO HANAPEPE VALLEY, I FELT AN IMPACT THROUGH THE PEDALS. WITH NO FURTHER INDICATIONS OF LOSS OF CONTROL, I LOOKED BEHIND ME AND SAW THE FEMALE PASSENGER HOLDING THE REMAINS OF THE CASE, NAMELY THE STRAP. IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE POUCH AND HER CELL PHONE HAD DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT AND WAS LIKELY THE CAUSE OF THE IMPACT ON THE TAIL.

I LANDED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE ON A HUNTING TRACK ON THE HANAPEPE RIDGE, AND INSPECTED THE DAMAGE. ON CONTACT WITH THE BASE MECHANICS, FURTHER FLIGHT WAS NOT POSSIBLE AND THE HELICOPTER WAS LEFT AT THE LANDING SITE."

## 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 GAA19CA066](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA066), Nov 10, 2018: Robinson R44 (N445KP), Lihue, HI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The passenger’s improper decision to hold her cell phone outside the helicopter, which resulted in it departing the helicopter and striking the 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.

---
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.