20260812011269A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Anthony, FL · August 12, 2026

Date: August 12, 2026 · 11:30 local
Place: Anthony, FL
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N861MP
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC26LA084
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44 II
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 2
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,300 total

N861MPRegistered now · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 14646 · Built 2023 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.

The pilot reported that while in cruse flight, the engine had a sudden reduction in power. The pilot initiated an autorotation when power was regained, causing the helicopter to climb another +/- 200 feet, before losing power again. With the use of the landing light, the pilot was able to see ground obstacles to include trees and power lines, and was able to avoid them while making an emergency landing. The helicopter appeared to make contact with a skid with a lateral direction of travel, striking the ground several times before rolling onto it's side. Both passengers sustained minor injuries and were able to extract themselves from the helicopter and call 911. The helicopter exhibited substantial damage. At this time NTSB and FAA are investigating, with the root cause suspected to be engine/maintenance related based on the pilot's statement and evidence at the scene. Data and SD cards have been removed at the request of the NTSB and sent to Robinson for processing.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE IN CRUSE FLIGHT, THE ENGINE HAD A SUDDEN REDUCTION IN POWER. THE PILOT INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION WHEN POWER WAS REGAINED, CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO CLIMB ANOTHER +/- 200 FEET, BEFORE LOSING POWER AGAIN. WITH THE USE OF THE LANDING LIGHT, THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO SEE GROUND OBSTACLES TO INCLUDE TREES AND POWER LINES, AND WAS ABLE TO AVOID THEM WHILE MAKING AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE HELICOPTER APPEARED TO MAKE CONTACT WITH A SKID WITH A LATERAL DIRECTION OF TRAVEL, STRIKING THE GROUND SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE ROLLING ONTO IT'S SIDE. BOTH PASSENGERS SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AND WERE ABLE TO EXTRACT THEMSELVES FROM THE HELICOPTER AND CALL 911. THE HELICOPTER EXHIBITED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. AT THIS TIME NTSB AND FAA ARE INVESTIGATING, WITH THE ROOT CAUSE SUSPECTED TO BE ENGINE/MAINTENANCE RELATED BASED ON THE PILOT'S STATEMENT AND EVIDENCE AT THE SCENE. DATA AND SD CARDS HAVE BEEN REMOVED AT THE REQUEST OF THE NTSB AND SENT TO ROBINSON FOR PROCESSING.

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 ANC26LA084Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3 · LimitedPreliminary reportAnthony, FLOn August 12, 2026, at approximately 2305 eastern daylight time, a Robinson R44 Raven II helicopter, N861MP, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Anthony, Florida. The pilot and passenger sustained minor injuries. The helicopter…Aug 13, 2026 · Substantial damage