# Accident 20240619009029A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Bluestem, WA, June 19, 2024

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 19, 2024, 16:20 local time
- Place: Bluestem, WA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 47.5467° N, 118.1553° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.5467&lon=-118.1553&mi=10
- Aircraft: N323TT, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N323TT) (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: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 21,300 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR24FA200](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24FA200) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240619009029A

## Narrative

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

HELICOPTER ON CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED A SUDDEN LOSS OF ALTITUDE WHILE AT CRUISING ALTITUDE OF 750' AND AN AIRSPEED OF 69 KTS. AIRCRAFT'S TAILBOOM WAS STRUCK BY MAIN ROTOR BLADES APPROXIMATELTY TWO FEET FROM THE TAILROTOR ATTACH POINT AND SEPERATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE TAILSECTION WAS FOUND 340 FEET BEHIND THE FLIGHTPATH OF THE IMPACT POINT OF THE FUSLAGE. POST CRASH FIRE DESTROYED ENTIRE FUSELAGE. EVIDENCE OF SEVERE CONING OF MAIN ROTORBLADES WITH BOTH PITCH CHANGE ARMS AND CONTROL ROD ENDS TORN AWAY FROM BOTH MAIN ROTOR BLADE GRIPS IN THE VICINITY OF THE TAILROTOR SECTION.

## 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 WPR24FA200](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24FA200), Jun 19, 2024: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N323TT), Bluestem, WA, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to manage main rotor rpm during an autorotation, which resulted in a loss of helicopter control. Contributing to the accident was a loss of power for reasons that could not be…

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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