# Accident 20250829017419A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Petersville, AK, August 29, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 29, 2025, 15:15 local time
- Place: Petersville, AK
- Airport: Talkeetna
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: UPXC
- Location: 62.5424° N, 151.4440° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=62.5424&lon=-151.4440&mi=10
- Aircraft: N74435, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N74435) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (registry code 7640122, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,628 total, 1,687 in this make and model, 145 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC25LA099](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC25LA099) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250829017419A

## Narrative

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

PILOT WAS SHUTTLING A GROUP OF 10 TOUR PASSENGERS FROM ONE RIDGE TO ANOTHER, BOTH TAKEOFF/LANDING AREAS APPROXIMATELY 3800 FT MSL. THE FIRST GROUP TO BE SHUTTLED WAS A GROUP OF THREE PASSENGERS. ACTUAL WEIGHTS OF PASSENGERS NOT USED; WEIGHTS OF PASSENGERS WAS GUESSED BY PILOT. UPON TAKEOFF INTO HOVER, POWER USED (ABOUT 23 INCHES MANIFOLD PRESSURE) WAS ABOVE THE MAX CONTINUOUS POWER SUGGESTED FOR THAT SCENARIO (ABOUT 21.5 INCHES MP). ON RECONNAISSANCE OF LANDING SITE, PILOT WAS AT A SLOW SPEED WITH A SIGNIFICANT TAILWIND (ABOUT 20 KTS). HELICOPTER STARTED TO DESCEND RAPIDLY, THE PILOT RESPONDED BY PULLING UP ON COLLECTIVE WHICH THEN LED TO THE AIRCRAFT'S FULL THROTTLE WARNING LIGHT COMING ON AS AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO DESCEND. IN AN AREA DOWNHILL FROM THE INTENDED LANDING SITE, THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD WITH COLLECTIVE FULL UP AND ROLLED ONTO ITS SIDE.

## 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 ANC25LA099](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC25LA099), Aug 29, 2025: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N74435), Petersville, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s exceedance of the helicopter’s available power while landing in a remote confined area, which resulted in rotor droop and a hard landing.

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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