# Accident 20240818010729A: Robinson Helicopter R44, Honolulu, HI, August 18, 2024

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 18, 2024, 16:00 local time
- Place: Honolulu, HI
- Airport: Daniel K. Inouye International
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Run-Up Area
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: 2NVA
- Location: 21.3153° N, 157.9219° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=21.3153&lon=-157.9219&mi=10
- Aircraft: N740RH, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N740RH) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 (registry code 7640120, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O-540-F1B5 (registry code 42353, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-540-f1b5) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER R44
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 1,531 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC24LA077](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC24LA077) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240818010729A

## Narrative

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

ON SUNDAY, AUG 18, 2024, PILOT BOARDED ROBINSON R44 WITH INTENT TO FLY CUSTOMERS ON A SCHEDULED AIR TOUR. PILOT STARTED ENGINE AND ENGAGED THE CLUTCH AS THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES TURNED SLOWLY. IMMEDIATEDLY, THE PILOT NOTICED "UNUSUAL VIBRATIONS IN PEDALS," THEN LEFT PEDAL WAS PUSHED ALL THE WAY TO STOP ON ITS OWN. PILOT COULDN'T CENTER PEDAL SO SHE IMMEDIATELY ABORTED THE START UP.  IT ALL HAPPENED "WITHIN 5 SECONDS," AND MAIN ROTOR BLADES MOVED ONLY ABOUT A QUARTER TURN.

A PILOT FROM ANOTHER HELICOPTER SAID HE HEARD A "LOUD BANGING NOISE." UPON INSPECTION, THEY NOTICED THE CONTROL ROD BENT AND BROKEN.

POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION FOUND TAIL ROTOR PUSH-PULL TUBE ASSEMBLY PN 121-17 SHEARED NEAR TAIL ROTOR BELLCRANK ASSEMBLY.  INSPECTION INSIDE OF TAILCONE ASSEMBLY FOUND 1 EACH BOLT PN NAS6604-4 NOT INSTALLED IN TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT AFT FLEX PLATE PN C947-3.

## 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 ANC24LA077](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC24LA077), Aug 19, 2024: Robinson R44 (N740RH), Honolulu, HI, substantial damage. Probable cause: A failure of the flex plate yoke flange assembly due to incorrectly torqued bolts. Contributing was the maintenance personnel’s inadequate inspection of the tail rotor flex plate assembly.

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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