# Accident 20240201001919A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Miami, FL, February 1, 2024

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 1, 2024, 17:34 local time
- Place: Miami, FL
- Airport: Miami Seaplane Base
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: 6GLJ
- Location: 25.7841° N, 80.1736° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=25.7841&lon=-80.1736&mi=10
- Aircraft: N521LS, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N521LS) (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: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 520 total, 300 in this make and model, 90 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA24LA118](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA118) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240201001919A

## Narrative

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

DURING FLIGHT AIRMAN NOTICED THAT THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE, ENGINE OIL PRESSURE, AND TEMPERATURE WERE IN THE RED AREA OF THE GAGES.  AIRMAN EXECUTED A PRECAUTIONAL LANDING TO CHECK THE SITUATION ON THE GROUND AT WATSON ISLAND HELIPAD (X44).  AIRMAN INITIATED A RIGHT TURNING APPROACH INTO A GROUND EFFECT HOVER.  DURING THE APPROACH TO LAND THE AIRMAN TURNED THE HEICOPTEER TO THE RIGHT USING TAILROTOR PEDAL TO POSITION THE HELICOPTER ON HELIPAD. DURING THE DESCENDING HOVERING TURN THE TAIL ROTOR CONTACTED A PVC PIPE THAT WAS STICKING OUT FROM THE GROUND NE OF ASHPHALT  AND DESIGNATED HELIPORT SURFACE LANDING AREA. TAIL ROTOR SEPERATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND A HARD LANDING RESULTED  SPREADING THE SKIDS.

## 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 ERA24LA118](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA118), Feb 1, 2024: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N521LS), Miami, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: Tail rotor contact with an unseen object while performing a precautionary landing to a closed helipad at night.

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.