20240711008479A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 · Wainiha, HI · July 11, 2024

Date: July 11, 2024 · 13:05 local
Place: Wainiha, HI
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: WZPJ
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N144KW
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC24FA063
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 3
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 7,080 total160 in the last 90 days

N144KWRegistered now · Robinson Helicopter R44S/N 12805 · Built 2009 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 Engine modelLycoming IO-540-AE1A5Reciprocating

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.

The accident helicopter departed on an air tour out of lihue (lih) at appx 12:30 HST. The helicopter was occupied by 1 pilot and 2 passengers who were seated in the back. The helicopter crashed into the ocean off the northwest coast of kauai, appx 5NM wsw of Wainiha, HI. There were no survivors.

As the FAA filed it

THE ACCIDENT HELICOPTER DEPARTED ON AN AIR TOUR OUT OF LIHUE (LIH) AT APPX 12:30 HST. THE HELICOPTER WAS OCCUPIED BY 1 PILOT AND 2 PASSENGERS WHO WERE SEATED IN THE BACK. THE HELICOPTER CRASHED INTO THE OCEAN OFF THE NORTHWEST COAST OF KAUAI, APPX 5NM WSW OF WAINIHA, HI. THERE WERE NO SURVIVORS.

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 ANC24FA063Accident · 3 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportKekaha, HIAn encounter with turbulence due to downdraft winds that resulted in mast bumping and an in-flight breakup.Jul 11, 2024 · Substantial damage