20231230020052A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 · Daytona Beach, FL · December 30, 2023

Date: December 30, 2023 · 14:00 local
Place: Daytona Beach, FL
Airport: Daytona Beach International
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: NP4J
Collision: Midair collision
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N828AK
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA24LA079
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44
Reported engine: Lycoming O-540-F1B5
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 342 total203 in this make and model121 in the last 90 days

N828AKRegistered now · Robinson Helicopter R44S/N 1689 · Built 2007 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 Engine modelLycoming O-540-F1B5Reciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

December 30, 2023, 1400 local time; a helicopeter, R-44, returning from an air tour operation, part 91, with one pilot and two passengers on board and during the approach to landing phase collided mid-air with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) dji mavic 2 pro. The mid-air collision occured inside the class "c" airspace at Daytona Beach International Airport (dab) sw from field center bearing 234°and ~1.5NM distance or approximately 29.16°N/81.08°w. altitude at time of impact...R-44 pilot reported 200' to 300'; UAV pilot reported 180'. The UAV impacted the R-44 advancing rotor blade on the right of the aircraft approximately 2/3RD distance from the rotor shaft. The pilot felt a low frequency vibration after the impact and executed a normal landing. No injuries to pobs and no collateral damage to the R-44 beyond damage to the rotor blade.

The UAV was destroyed, most of the UAV was recovered. The camera mounted to the UAV was not recovered.

As the FAA filed it

DECEMBER 30, 2023, 1400 LOCAL TIME; A HELICOPETER, R-44, RETURNING FROM AN AIR TOUR OPERATION, PART 91, WITH ONE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS ON BOARD AND DURING THE APPROACH TO LANDING PHASE COLLIDED MID-AIR WITH AN UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE (UAV) DJI MAVIC 2 PRO. THE MID-AIR COLLISION OCCURED INSIDE THE CLASS "C" AIRSPACE AT DAYTONA BEACH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (DAB) SW FROM FIELD CENTER BEARING 234°AND ~1.5NM DISTANCE OR APPROXIMATELY 29.16°N/81.08°W. ALTITUDE AT TIME OF IMPACT...R-44 PILOT REPORTED 200' TO 300'; UAV PILOT REPORTED 180'. THE UAV IMPACTED THE R-44 ADVANCING ROTOR BLADE ON THE RIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT APPROXIMATELY 2/3RD DISTANCE FROM THE ROTOR SHAFT. THE PILOT FELT A LOW FREQUENCY VIBRATION AFTER THE IMPACT AND EXECUTED A NORMAL LANDING. NO INJURIES TO POBS AND NO COLLATERAL DAMAGE TO THE R-44 BEYOND DAMAGE TO THE ROTOR BLADE.

THE UAV WAS DESTROYED, MOST OF THE UAV WAS RECOVERED. THE CAMERA MOUNTED TO THE UAV WAS NOT RECOVERED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA24LA079Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportDaytona Beach, FLThe UAS operator’s failure to operate within the limitations of the COA that he was using to operate inside class C airspace, which resulted in a collision between the UAS and the helicopter.Dec 30, 2023 · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage

Other aircraft in the event · 1

Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.

FA3XNDJI Mavic 2 PRONo report for this aircraft in the release

Other reports on N828AK · 1

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

Incident 20191113021179ICruise/Level Flight · Tampa, FLOn November 13, 2019, at approximately 1730 local time N828AK experienced an "eng fire" warning light while in flight. N828AK was conducting a sightseeing operation in Tampa, FL with three soles onboard. The PIC stated, approximately 10 minutes into the…Nov 13, 2019 · Minor damage