20260119000302A

Accident · Minor damage

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Sheridan, WY · January 19, 2026

Date
January 19, 2026 · 09:10 local
Place
Sheridan, WY
Phase of flight
Maneuver
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Collision
Midair collision
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N996NR
NTSB investigation
NTSBWPR26LA083
Reported as
Robinson Helicopter R44 II
Reported engine
Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
9,300 total6,000 in this make and model90 in the last 90 days

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.

Robinson R-44 aircraft #2 was struck in the tail rotor by R-44 #1 both aircraft initiated an emergency landing. No injuries and minor damage to R-44 #2 and substantial to # 1

As the FAA filed it

ROBINSON R-44 AIRCRAFT #2 WAS STRUCK IN THE TAIL ROTOR BY R-44 #1 BOTH AIRCRAFT INITIATED AN EMERGENCY LANDING. NO INJURIES AND MINOR DAMAGE TO R-44 #2 AND SUBSTANTIAL TO # 1

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.