# NTSB investigations: Robinson Helicopter R44 II: 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 ERA24LA118](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA118.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Miami, FL · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Feb 1, 2024 · N521LS · Substantial damage
  > Tail rotor contact with an unseen object while performing a precautionary landing to a closed helipad at night.
- [NTSB ERA22LA188](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA188.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Calhoun, GA · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Apr 12, 2022 · N426DB · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from wires during takeoff.
- [NTSB ERA22LA135](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA135.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 II · White Plains, NY · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Feb 17, 2022 · N929WA · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain stabilized lateral control during landing in gusty conditions which resulted in a dynamic rollover when the skids contacted the platform unevenly.
- [NTSB WPR21LA341](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA341.md): Robinson R44 · Camp Verde, AZ · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Aug 28, 2021 · N544SH · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate preflight performance calculations which resulted in an aborted takeoff and collision with trees.
- [NTSB CEN21LA173](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA173.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Dustin, OK · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Mar 26, 2021 · N178DF · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s insufficient monitoring of the helicopter’s power while flying at low altitude and at low airspeed, which resulted in the loss of rotor rpm and impact with a tree and terrain.
- [NTSB CEN20LA330](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA330.md): Robinson R44 · Logan, IA · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Aug 8, 2020 · N89LA · Substantial damage
  > The failure of the lower actuator bearing support brackets, which resulted in the misalignment of the clutch actuator, a loss of belt tension on the main rotor drive system, and a subsequent forced landing.
- [NTSB GAA17CA450](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA450.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 · Dunlap, IL · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 31, 2017 · N344MM · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to visually confirm that the helicopter was disconnected from hoses during refueling operations. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s and ground crew’s misunderstanding of the hand signals.
- [NTSB GAA17CA383](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA383.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 · Easton, PA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 4, 2017 · N3025J · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s distraction during liftoff due to the tail rotor chip warning light illuminating, which resulted in the helicopter drifting right, the skid touching down, and a dynamic roll-over.
- [NTSB CEN16FA215](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16FA215.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Jonesboro, AR · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jun 12, 2016 · N789MR · Destroyed
  > The pilot's failure to maintain helicopter control during takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's impairment due to his combined use of alcohol and diphenhydramine, which led to his improper decision to fly after drinking alcohol and degraded…
- [NTSB GAA16CA006](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA006.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Devine, TX · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Oct 5, 2015 · N174CD · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain obstacle clearance during the takeoff, which resulted in the helicopter striking power lines.
- [NTSB ERA14FA115](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14FA115.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Panacea, FL · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Feb 9, 2014 · N571AC · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from trees during a takeoff at night. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of recent night flight experience.
- [NTSB WPR13CA424](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13CA424.md): Robinson R44 - II · Flagstaff, AZ · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Sep 25, 2013 · N190SH · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain rotor rpm while landing in a gusty wind at a high density altitude.
- [NTSB CEN12LA443](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA443.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Red Oak, IA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 14, 2012 · N556MM · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the ground-support vehicle during landing.
- [NTSB CEN12LA359](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA359.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Santa Teresa, NM · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 10, 2012 · N744JS · Substantial damage
  > The sudden decrease in headwind during takeoff in a gusty wind and near a passing train, which resulted in a loss of lift and main rotor rpm. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to operate the helicopter near its maximum performance…
- [NTSB CEN11CA126](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11CA126.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Hemphill, TX · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Dec 22, 2010 · N841SA · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot’s improper decision to carry an unauthorized passenger and the passenger’s loss of control of the helicopter during take-off.
- [NTSB DFW08LA122](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW08LA122.md): Robinson R44 · Bartlett, TX · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Apr 28, 2008 · N477SH · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain tail rotor clearance from terrain (embankment) during takeoff.

## 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" = '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=7640122

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