What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 24, 2026, at approximately 0930 local time, a Robinson R44 ii helicopter was substantially damaged during an accident that occurred on a private ranch near Fredericksburg, Texas. According to the pilot, a preflight inspection was completed with no anomalies observed. During an aerial observation of wildlife, while hovering approximately 15 to 30 feet above the tree line, a sudden loud “pop” occurred, followed by a noticeable jolt. The helicopter then began an uncontrolled descent. The pilot indicated the anti-torque pedals were unresponsive. The pilot, passenger, and a witness all reported hearing the initial “pop,” after which engine noise diminished. The pilot stated that the low RPM aural tone came on shortyly after the pop sound. During this, the pilot and passenger stated the helicopter began to shake severely and yawed rapidly to the right before impacting the ground. The pilot and passenger sustained serious injuries.
The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, main rotor system, tailboom, and tail rotor system.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 24, 2026, AT APPROXIMATELY 0930 LOCAL TIME, A ROBINSON R44 II HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING AN ACCIDENT THAT OCCURRED ON A PRIVATE RANCH NEAR FREDERICKSBURG, TEXAS. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED WITH NO ANOMALIES OBSERVED. DURING AN AERIAL OBSERVATION OF WILDLIFE, WHILE HOVERING APPROXIMATELY 15 TO 30 FEET ABOVE THE TREE LINE, A SUDDEN LOUD “POP” OCCURRED, FOLLOWED BY A NOTICEABLE JOLT. THE HELICOPTER THEN BEGAN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT. THE PILOT INDICATED THE ANTI-TORQUE PEDALS WERE UNRESPONSIVE. THE PILOT, PASSENGER, AND A WITNESS ALL REPORTED HEARING THE INITIAL “POP,” AFTER WHICH ENGINE NOISE DIMINISHED. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE LOW RPM AURAL TONE CAME ON SHORTYLY AFTER THE POP SOUND. DURING THIS, THE PILOT AND PASSENGER STATED THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SHAKE SEVERELY AND YAWED RAPIDLY TO THE RIGHT BEFORE IMPACTING THE GROUND. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES.
THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE, MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM, TAILBOOM, AND TAIL ROTOR SYSTEM.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N233JD · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.