# Accident 20190716023559A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Council Bluffs, IA, July 16, 2019

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 16, 2019, 17:50 local time
- Place: Council Bluffs, IA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: 4CDG
- Location: 41.2344° N, 95.7464° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.2344&lon=-95.7464&mi=10
- Aircraft: N124LA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N124LA-2020-10-31) (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: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 26,000 total, 2,000 in this make and model, 200 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA19CA428](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA428) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190716023559A

## Narrative

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

RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM THE REGIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER (ROC) AT 1829 (LOCAL TIME) ON 16 JULY 2019 OF A HELICOPTER ACCIDENT NEAR COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA.  THE PILOT STATED THAT AS HE WAS TAKING OFF FROM THE LANDING PLATFORM OF HIS SERVICE VEHICLE ONE OF THE HELICOPTER SKIDS CAUGHT IN AN OPENING ON THE PLATFORM AND THE HELICOPTER CRASHED. THE HELICOPTER RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE.

## 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 GAA19CA428](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA428), Jul 16, 2019: Robinson R44 (N124LA), Council Bluff, IA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper cyclic input during liftoff from a landing deck, which resulted in the right skid hooking onto an opening on the landing deck and a subsequent dynamic rollover.

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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