20260802011379A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Bennett, IA · August 2, 2026

Date: August 2, 2026 · 16:54 local
Place: Bennett, IA
Phase of flight: Maneuver
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: 6DKG
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N26KL
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN26LA276
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44 II
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 29,284 total

N26KLRegistered now · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 12024 · Built 2007 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.

Pilot-in-command experienced an unknown shake/shimmy throughout aircraft while crossing a row of trees. The shake subsided momentarily, then returned. Pilot-in-command executed an emergency landing in a pasture. Aircraft landed hard, spreading skids and causing damage to airframe.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT-IN-COMMAND EXPERIENCED AN UNKNOWN SHAKE/SHIMMY THROUGHOUT AIRCRAFT WHILE CROSSING A ROW OF TREES. THE SHAKE SUBSIDED MOMENTARILY, THEN RETURNED. PILOT-IN-COMMAND EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A PASTURE. AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD, SPREADING SKIDS AND CAUSING DAMAGE TO AIRFRAME.

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 CEN26LA276Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedPreliminary reportBennett, IAOn August 2, 2026, about 1318 central daylight time, a Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II helicopter, N26KL, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Bennett, Iowa. The pilot was not injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14…Aug 2, 2026 · Substantial damage