# Accident 20250309003779A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, North Las Vegas, NV, March 9, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 9, 2025, 21:05 local time
- Place: North Las Vegas, NV
- Airport: North Las Vegas
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: TIBJ
- Location: 36.2123° N, 115.2057° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.2123&lon=-115.2057&mi=10
- Aircraft: N44KY, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N44KY) (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: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 3
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 504 total, 335 in this make and model, 96 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR25LA110](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA110) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250309003779A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 WPR25LA110](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA110), Mar 10, 2025: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N44KY), Las Vegas, NV, substantial damage. Probable cause: The 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.

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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