# NTSB investigations: Robinson Helicopter R44: Collision during takeoff/land

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 ANC26LA082](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC26LA082.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 · Macedonia, IA · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Investigation open · Aug 9, 2026 · N197HL · Substantial damage
- [NTSB CEN25LA067](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA067.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 · Galveston, TX · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Dec 31, 2024 · N441HQ · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain terrain clearance during the takeoff from the helipad in high and gusting wind conditions, that resulted in the right skid extension embedding in the artificial turf, and a subsequent dynamic rollover sequence.
- [NTSB CEN20CA313](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA313.md): Robinson R44 · Dakota, IL · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report · Jul 27, 2020 · N570WH · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain main rotor clearance from a ground obstacle during a landing.
- [NTSB ERA20CA260](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20CA260.md): Robinson R44 · Whitehall, MD · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report · Jul 24, 2020 · N350DM · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from a known obstacle while landing from a hover.
- [NTSB CEN20LA286](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA286.md): Robinson R44 · Welsh, LA · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jul 2, 2020 · N7511D · Substantial damage
  > A partial loss of engine power while in flight due to corrosion of engine components, which resulted in a loss of control and a subsequent impact with terrain.
- [NTSB CEN16LA006](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA006.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 · Parkston, SD · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Oct 5, 2015 · N442RP · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s decision to take off from a confined area and his failure to adequately compensate for wind conditions during the takeoff, which resulted in collision with obstacles.
- [NTSB GAA15CA227](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA15CA227.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 · Sandusky, MI · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 15, 2015 · N8337Z · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to monitor the landing environment while operating in a confined off-airport site resulting in a wire strike and substantial damage to the helicopter.
- [NTSB ERA14CA413](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14CA413.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 · Hayesville, NC · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Aug 17, 2014 · N752EC · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter, and adequate clearance, which resulted in a collision with a hangar.
- [NTSB CEN13CA022](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13CA022.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 · Loop, TX · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Oct 21, 2012 · N7507K · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s inadequate performance calculations, which resulted in an overweight takeoff for the conditions and the subsequent hard impact with terrain.
- [NTSB WPR10CA193](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10CA193.md): Robinson R44 · San Juan Batista, CA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Oct 29, 2009 · N144RF · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from wires while maneuvering and his subsequent improper use of the collective control, which resulted in the main rotor contacting the tail boom.

## 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 ('7640120')
    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" = '490' 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/490/sequence?model=7640120

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