# NTSB investigations: Robinson Helicopter R44 II: Loss of tail rotor effectiveness

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB WPR17LA143](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR17LA143.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Ronan, MT · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 6, 2017 · N442DR · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness during a low-altitude orbiting maneuver and a subsequent hard landing.
- [NTSB ERA17LA168](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA168.md): Robinson R44 · Newton, NC · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Apr 27, 2017 · N728CB · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed during out-of-ground-effect maneuvering at a low airspeed with a tailwind, which resulted in a loss of helicopter control due to a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
- [NTSB CEN15LA375](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15LA375.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Carlos, TX · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 22, 2015 · N445HS · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s improper decision to turn the helicopter toward a tailwind during an out-of-ground-effect hover, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness. Contributing to the accident was the accident and lead pilots’ inadequate preflight risk…
- [NTSB ERA15CA089](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15CA089.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Barranquitas, PR · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jan 2, 2015 · N3183T · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter while landing which resulted in a tailrotor ground strike and collision with terrain.
- [NTSB WPR14CA325](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14CA325.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Honolulu, HI · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Aug 2, 2014 · N110JC · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions and failure to maintain aircraft control during taxi, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness and subsequent impact with the taxiway and a parked fuel truck.
- [NTSB CEN14CA142](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14CA142.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Bonham, TX · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Feb 14, 2014 · N494SH · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate recovery from a loss of tail rotor effectiveness during a low altitude downwind hover in a gusty wind condition resulting in the helicopter contacting the ground and rolling over.
- [NTSB WPR13FA343](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13FA343.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Thompson Falls, MT · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 27, 2013 · N25WH · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain helicopter control while operating in conditions conducive to a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
- [NTSB NYC08CA305](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08CA305.md): Robinson R44 II · Marathon, FL · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Sep 6, 2008 · N144SA · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to control the helicopter while maneuvering, resulting in loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
- [NTSB DFW08CA177](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW08CA177.md): Robinson R44 II · Canyon Lake, TX · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 5, 2008 · N804DF · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of tail rotor effectiveness. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper decision to operate inside the height velocity curve.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('7640122', '7640123')
    AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND s.aircrafts_position = x.position AND s."tier2Number" = '242' AND s.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE "isDefiningEvent")))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/242/sequence?model=7640122

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