20250309003779A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 II · North Las Vegas, NV · March 9, 2025

Date: March 9, 2025 · 21:05 local
Place: North Las Vegas, NV
Airport: North Las Vegas
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: TIBJ
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N44KY
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR25LA110
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44 II
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 3
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 504 total335 in this make and model96 in the last 90 days

N44KYRegistered now · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 11307 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 II 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.

On 03/09/2025 at approximately 2105 PST, a Robinson R-44II helicopter, departed the North Las Vegas Airport, kvgt, on a VFR air tour flight of the las Vegas strip, under a part 91.147 authorization. As the aircraft was transitioning into forward flight, the helicopter impacted a paved ramp area adjacent to the liftoff pad and rolled onto it’s side causing damage to a truck which was parked on the ramp and substantial damage to the helicopter.

As the FAA filed it

ON 03/09/2025 AT APPROXIMATELY 2105 PST, A ROBINSON R-44II HELICOPTER, DEPARTED THE NORTH LAS VEGAS AIRPORT, KVGT, ON A VFR AIR TOUR FLIGHT OF THE LAS VEGAS STRIP, UNDER A PART 91.147 AUTHORIZATION. AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS TRANSITIONING INTO FORWARD FLIGHT, THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED A PAVED RAMP AREA ADJACENT TO THE LIFTOFF PAD AND ROLLED ONTO IT’S SIDE CAUSING DAMAGE TO A TRUCK WHICH WAS PARKED ON THE RAMP AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE HELICOPTER.

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 WPR25LA110Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportLas Vegas, NVThe pilot’s loss of helicopter control after the door opened during takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to confirm that the door was properly closed before departure.Mar 10, 2025 · Substantial damage