# Accident 20250818018099A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Burlington, WA, August 18, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 18, 2025, 11:31 local time
- Place: Burlington, WA
- Airport: Skagit
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 48.4705° N, 122.4217° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.4705&lon=-122.4217&mi=10
- Aircraft: N877DR, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N877DR) (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: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR25LA262](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA262) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250818018099A

## Narrative

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

HELCOPTER WAS LIFING OFF FROM A FLATBED TRAILER. IN THE PROCESS OF DEPARTING, THE PILOT SWUNG THE TAIL AROUND TO DEPART AND SUBSEQUENTLY HIT THE TAIL BOOM ON AN AIRPORT LIGHT POLE.  THE MAIN ROTORS ALSO MADE CONTACT WITH THE SAME LIGHT POLE. THIS CAUSED A DYNAMIC ROLLOVER AND CRASH ON ITS SIDE ON THE TARMAC NEXT TO THE FLATBED TRAILER. ALL INJURIES WERE MINOR.

## 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 WPR25LA262](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA262), Aug 18, 2025: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N877DR), Burlington, WA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to see and avoid the light pole, which resulted in a collision with the light pole and subsequent ground impact.

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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