20250325007519A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Hobbs, NM · March 25, 2025

Date: March 25, 2025 · 15:00 local
Place: Hobbs, NM
Airport: Lea County Regional
Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7530U
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR25LA118
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44 II
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Student
Pilot’s flight hours: 91 total34 in this make and model30 in the last 90 days

N7530URegistered now · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 10411 · Built 2004 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 II Engine modelLycoming IO-540 seriesReciprocating

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 March 25, 2025, a Robinson R-44, while attempting to hover taxi, encountered a dynamic rollover and impacted terrain. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The aircraft was being operated on a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed. The pilot, the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries. The flight originated from Lea County Regional, Hobbs, NM at 1500 MDT.

As the FAA filed it

ON MARCH 25, 2025, A ROBINSON R-44, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO HOVER TAXI, ENCOUNTERED A DYNAMIC ROLLOVER AND IMPACTED TERRAIN. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED ON A PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM LEA COUNTY REGIONAL, HOBBS, NM AT 1500 MDT.

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 WPR25LA118Accident · Minor injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportHobbs, NMThe student pilot’s loss of directional control during a hover, which resulted in an impact with terrain.Mar 25, 2025 · Substantial damage