# Accident 20220322004039A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Howe, ID, March 22, 2022 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: March 22, 2022, 11:26 local time - Place: Howe, ID - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 44.1042° N, 113.0019° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.1042&lon=-113.0019&mi=10 - Aircraft: N44DQ, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N44DQ) (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 - Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540 SER - People aboard: 3 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 3 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - Pilot flight hours: 1,850 total, 600 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR22LA132](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA132) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220322004039A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. PILOT DEPARTED HIS RANCH IN PRESTON ID, HEADED NORTH. FOLLOWING A PATH PARALLELING HIGHWAY 28 NORTHWEST OF THE INTERSECTION OF HIGHWAY 22 & 28. PILOT STATED HE WAS FLYING ALONG THE EAST SIDE OF THE VALLEY AND REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF 8K FT. AND DECIDED THE TERRAIN WAS CLIMBING RAPIDLY AND DECIDED TO EXIT THE VALLEY. HE TURNED TO A WESTERLY HEADING IN THE DIRECTION OF DIAMOND PEAK. UPON REACHING THE WEST SIDE OF THE VALLEY HE DECIDED TO LAND ON A RIDGE TOP FOR A REST BREAK. HE SELECTED AN AREA AND DID A CIRCLING APPROACH TO THE POINT SELECTED, TO CHECK FOR HAZARDS. GOOGLE EARTH SHOWS THE ELEVATION OF THE CRASH SITE BELOW THE RIDGE AT 7560 FT. PILOT STATED HE ENTERED A HOVER AT APPROX. 20? AGL TO STABILIZE AND DO A POWER CHECK. PILOT VERIFIED EXPECTED THROTTLE RESPONSE AND ROTOR RPM. AT THAT POINT HE BEGAN DECENT TO THE SURFACE. DURING THE TRANSITION THE TAIL OF THE HELICOPTER WAS POINTED UPWIND TOWARD THE MOUNTAIN PEAKS. AS THE AIRCRAFT NEARED THE GROUND A GUST OF WIND BLEW THE AIRCRAFT OVER THE EDGE OF THE RIDGELINE LOSING GROUND EFFECT IN HIS DECENT APPROACH. A LOW ROTOR RPM WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED & ASSOCIATED WARNING HORN BEGAN TO SOUND. AT THIS POINT THE AIRCRAFT, WHILE AIRBORNE WAS TRAVELING DOWN THE SLOPE OF THE RIDGE PICKING UP SPEED. HOWEVER AT THAT MOMENT THE ENGINE / ROTOR SPEED WAS UNABLE TO GENERATE ENOUGH LIFT TO CLIMB OR MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. AT THIS POINT PILOT MADE DECISION TO MAKE CONTROL INPUTS TO ROLL AIRCRAFT ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE CAUSING ROTOR BLADES TO IMPACT GROUND AND STOP GAINING DOWN SLOPE SPEED, IN AN ATTEMPT TO PREVENT A HIGH ENERGY IMPACT THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN FAR MORE SEVERE. AFTER INITIAL IMPACT AIRCRAFT ROLLED APPROXIMATELY TWICE BEFORE COMING TO REST WITH THE NOSE POINTING DOWN SLOPE AT A POINT APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS FROM THE CREST OF THE RIDGE LINE. THE PILOT AND BOTH PASSENGERS WERE ABLE TO EXTRACT THEMSELVES FROM THE AIRCRAFT WITH 2 MINOR AND 1 SUBSTANTIAL INJURYS AND WALK AWAY. THERE WAS NO POST-CRASH FIRE. ## 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 WPR22LA132](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA132), Mar 22, 2022: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N44DQ), Howe, ID, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate rotor rpm while descending with a gusting tailwind condition, which resulted in a loss of helicopter control. ## Other reports on N44DQ (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20131128024169A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20131128024169A), Nov 28, 2013: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II (N44DQ), Tunica, MS, Substantial damage. After completion of autorotation with instructor while on the ground, student failed to move anti torque pedals to the neutral position prior to increasing… - [Incident 20100419032579I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100419032579I), Apr 19, 2010: Robinson He R44 II (N44DQ), Salt Lake City, UT, No damage. The instructor pilot stated that he was on a training flight with two students on board and were cleared by the tower to come in over I-15 at 6500 feet until… 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.