# Accident 20240906011949A: Robinson Helicopter R44, Grand Forks, ND, September 6, 2024

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 6, 2024, 11:30 local time
- Place: Grand Forks, ND
- Airport: Mark Andrews International
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
- Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
- Operator: OG5S
- Location: 47.9473° N, 97.1738° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.9473&lon=-97.1738&mi=10
- Aircraft: N896J, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N896J) (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
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O-540-F1B5
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 356 total, 40 in this make and model, 66 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN24LA343](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA343) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240906011949A

## Narrative

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

THE AIRCRAFT DOING HOVER PRACTICE IN THE DELTA LANDING ZONE AREA AT GFK AIRPORT.  VIDEO EVIDENCE SHOWS THE AIRCRAFT IN A STABLE HOVER THEN THE AIRCRAFT IS SEEN MOVING AFT WITH THE TAIL DESCENDING, IT COMES UP AND THEN DESCENDS AGAIN, APPEARS TO STRIKE THE GROUND.  THE AIRCRAFT ASCENDS ABOUT 5 FEET DRIFTING AFT FOLLOWED BY RAPID DESCENT STICKING THE GROUND AND THEN THE AIRCRAFT ROLLS TO THE RIGHT. ADDITIONAL VIDEO FROM CERTIFICATE HOLDER’S HANGER CLEARLY SHOWED THE TAIL STRIKE JUST PRIOR TO THE AIRCRAFT HITTING THE GND AND ROLLING TO THE RIGHT.

## 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 CEN24LA343](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA343), Sep 6, 2024: Robinson Helicopter R44 (N896J), Grand Forks, ND, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot’s failure to maintain helicopter control which resulted in impact with the ground. Contributing to the outcome was the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.

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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