# NTSB investigations: Robinson Helicopter R44 II: Settling with power/vortex ring state

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 ANC25LA099](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC25LA099.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Petersville, AK · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Aug 29, 2025 · N74435 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s exceedance of the helicopter’s available power while landing in a remote confined area, which resulted in rotor droop and a hard landing.
- [NTSB GAA18CA430](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA430.md): Robinson R44 · Okawville, IL · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 9, 2018 · N944DC · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper preflight weight and balance calculation, which resulted in his operating the helicopter over its maximum gross takeoff weight and in its subsequent failure to climb.
- [NTSB ANC14CA042](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC14CA042.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Coldfoot, AK · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 18, 2014 · N74713 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain adequate main rotor rpm while maneuvering at a low altitude, which resulted in an emergency landing on uneven terrain.
- [NTSB WPR13LA023](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13LA023.md): Robinson Helicopter R-44 II · Toutle, WA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Oct 26, 2012 · N7530F · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain precise altitude control, which resulted in the helicopter entering a settling with power condition while hovering out of ground effect.
- [NTSB CEN11CA325](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11CA325.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Golden, CO · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 8, 2011 · N921JM · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s decision to operate the helicopter at a high density altitude near terrain, which resulted in a settling with power condition.
- [NTSB CEN09CA270](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09CA270.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Kent, TX · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Apr 23, 2009 · N518SJ · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter.

## 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" = '244' 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/244/sequence?model=7640122

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