# Accident 20211010016261A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Palmer, AK, October 10, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 10, 2021, 13:20 local time
- Place: Palmer, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Collision: Midair collision
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: UPXC
- Location: 61.4041° N, 148.6046° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.4041&lon=-148.6046&mi=10
- Aircraft: N555EL, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N555EL) (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: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 1,270 total, 1,050 in this make and model, 170 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC22LA001](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC22LA001) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20211010016261A

## Narrative

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

SEE UAS REPORT ATQA #AAL0322003 FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS.

ON OCTOBER 10, 2021 AT APPROXIMATELY 1310 AKDT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, A ROBINSON R-44 II HELICOPTER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ UNDER FAR PART 135, DEPARTED A PRIVATE HELICOPTER PORT LOCATED AT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PALMER ALASKA FOR THE PURPOSES OF TRANSPORTING 3 PASSENGERS ON A KNIK GLACIER AIR TOUR. THE COMMERICAL PILOT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, FLEW THE AIRCRAFT TO THE KNIK GLACIER AREA. AS THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED THE KNIK GLACER WATER AREA KNOWN TO THE PILOT AS "GLACIER LAKE", THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING FLOWN AT LOW ALTITUDE. AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROACHING THE "LAKE", THE PILOT FLEW HIS NORMAL ROUTE THAT WAS NORTHEAST OF A KNOWN LOCATION WHERE UTILITY TERRAIN VEHICLES (UTV) OPERATED BY COMMERICAL GUIDE COMPANIES STOP AND ALLOW THEIR CLIENTS TO VIEW THE GLACIER AREA. UNKNOWN TO THE PILOT, A DRONE OPERATOR WAS OPERATING A DJI AIR 2S DRONE "AIRCRAFT" OVER THE WATER AREA AT AN ALTITUDE OF BETWEEN 80 AND 95 FEET AGL FOR THE PURPOSES OF TAKING PICTURES OF A FAMILY EVENT. AFTER THE HELICOPTER CROSSED THE SHORELINE OVER THE WATER, THE HELICOPTER EXECUTED AN APPROXIMATE 180 DEGREE RIGHT BANKING TURN. WHILE IN THE TURN THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH A DRONE THAT AT THE TIME WAS AT 86.9 FEET AGL. THE DRONE IMPACTED THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE ABOUT 3 FEET FROM THE BLADE TIP. THE PILOT STATED HE HEARD A LOUD "PING" AND FELT A VIBRATION UNDER HIS SEAT. THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED THE TOUR FLIGHT AND LANDED ON THE GLACIER AS PLANNED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE PASSENGERS SPENT APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES ON THE GLACIER AND TOOK OFF RETURNING TO THE ORIGINAL HOME BASE DEPARTURE POINT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED HE FIRST NOTED THE DAMAGE ON THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE DURING SHUTDOWN AT THE HOME BASE.

## 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 ANC22LA001](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC22LA001), Oct 10, 2021: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N555EL), Palmer, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The unmanned aircraft pilot’s failure to yield the right of way to the helicopter.

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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