20250704009429A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Pecos, TX · July 4, 2025

Date: July 4, 2025 · 11:05 local
Place: Pecos, TX
Airport: Pecos Municipal
Phase of flight: Other, Specify
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N992TP
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN25LA237
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44 II
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 2
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,500 total600 in this make and model50 in the last 90 days

N992TPRegistered now · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 14089 · Built 2017 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 July 04, 2025, at 1105 CDT, a Robinson R-44-II incurred substantial damage when it impacted terrain while attempting to hover-taxi. The aircraft was being operated on a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed. The pilot flying sustained serious injuries, while the pilot monitoring sustained minor injuries. The flight originated from the Pecos Municipal Airport, Pecos, TX on July 4, 2025, at 10:45 CDT.

As the FAA filed it

ON JULY 04, 2025, AT 1105 CDT, A ROBINSON R-44-II INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN WHILE ATTEMPTING TO HOVER-TAXI. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED ON A PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT FLYING SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES, WHILE THE PILOT MONITORING SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE PECOS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, PECOS, TX ON JULY 4, 2025, AT 10:45 CDT.

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 CEN25LA237Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportPecos, TXThe pilot’s failure to maintain aircraft control during gusty wind conditions.Jul 4, 2025 · Substantial damage