# Accident 20210830014029A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Gustavus, AK, August 30, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 30, 2021, 15:00 local time
- Place: Gustavus, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 58.0903° N, 136.4133° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=58.0903&lon=-136.4133&mi=10
- Aircraft: N779DZ, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N779DZ) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (registry code 7640122, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 2,770 total, 560 in this make and model, 48 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC21LA080](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC21LA080) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210830014029A

## Narrative

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

PILOT WAS RELOCATING TO SITE OF PREVIOUS COMPANY HARD LANDING AT REMOTE REPEATER SITE.   LANDING TO BE MADE ON IMPROVED 12X12  WOODEN PLATFORM ON SLOPED MOUNTAIN SIDE.  NORMAL APPROACH WAS MADE AND TOUCHDOWN COMPLETED ON PAD.  WHEN PILOT REDUCED COLLECTIVE FOR SHUTDOWN, AIRCRAFT ROCKED BACK ON PAD BECAUSE SKID HEELS WERE NOT FULLY ON PLATFORM.  AIRCRAFT FELL BACK ONTO MOUNTAIN AND ROLLED TWICE BEFORE COMING TO REST ON ITS SIDE.  NO INJURIES TO SOLE OCCUPANT.

## 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 ANC21LA080](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC21LA080), Aug 31, 2021: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N779DZ), Pelican, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s loss of control while landing on a remote helipad.

## Other reports on N779DZ (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20151006017949A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20151006017949A), Oct 6, 2015: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II (N779DZ), Neets Bay, AK, Substantial damage. Description: Helicopter was being operated off a metal barge in Neets Bay, Alaska to support remote helipad construction and or repair. As the pilot started…
- [Accident 20110515008859A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110515008859A), May 15, 2011: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II (N779DZ), Larson Lake, AK, Substantial damage. The airman dropped off passengers on a river bank after landing. The aircraft was swept into vegetation on shore before the airman could water taxi away or…

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.