# NTSB CEN24LA343: Robinson Helicopter R44, N896J, Grand Forks, ND, September 6, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: September 6, 2024, 10:30 local (15:30 UTC) - Place: Grand Forks, ND - Coordinates: 47.947278, -97.173778 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.9473&lon=-97.1738&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-hover: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 195081 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN24LA343 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/195081/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195081 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA343 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s failure to maintain helicopter control which resulted in impact with the ground. Contributing to the outcome was the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01060000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R44, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01060000/cases.md?model=7640120), [All aircraft, 63 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01060000/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R44, 40 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7640120), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R44, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=7640120), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-hover: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R44, 43 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=7640120), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering-hover: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R44, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=7640120), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering-hover: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R44, 56 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7640120), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight instructor reported that she was teaching her student to hover as part of a flight lesson. She transferred the flight controls to her student but continued to monitor the cyclic, collective, and tail rotor controls. The helicopter drifted aft and to the right while pitching nose up, as the student increased aft cyclic. The flight instructor attempted to correct by increasing forward cyclic but the tail struck the ground. The flight instructor stated that the helicopter began to violently vibrate, and she heard a grinding noise. As she lowered the collective, the helicopter impacted the ground, and the right skid broke off. The helicopter rolled over and came to rest on its right side, sustaining substantial damage to the main rotor system, tail boom, and tail rotor system. The flight instructor reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operations. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N896J](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N896J), registered now, S/N 30086, built 2022 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER R44 - Registry model: [Robinson Helicopter R44](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44) (registry code 7640120) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-540-F1B5](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-540-f1b5) (registry code 42353, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 30086 - Year built: 2022 - Airframe hours: 1191.8 - Engines: Lycoming O-540-FIB5 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: University Of North Dakota - Registered owner: University Of North Dakota - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, May 29, 2024 - Departed: GFK, Grand Forks, ND - Destination: GFK, Grand Forks, ND - Airport: GFK, Grand Forks International Airport - Equipment: ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic primary flight display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 21; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 454.9 total, 49.4 in this make and model, 315.8 as pilot in command, 28.3 in the last 90 days, 5.9 in the last 30 days, 1.2 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 19; injuries: none; student; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 3.9 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 10° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 30.31 inHg - Observed at: GFK - METAR: 061530Z AUTO 01009KT 10SM FEW060 16/10 A3031 RMK T01600100 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20240906011949A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240906011949A), Sep 6, 2024: Robinson Helicopter R44, Grand Forks, ND, Substantial damage. The aircraft doing hover practice in the delta landing zone area at gfk airport. Video evidence shows the aircraft in a stable hover then the aircraft is seen… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 10, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195081. 1.8 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 952 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17958681&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Accident%20Report%20Form%20CEN24LA343_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigation photographs (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 834 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17960568&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigation%20Photographs%20CEN24LA343-Rel.pdf From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.