- Date
- November 10, 2018, 13:20 local (23:20 UTC)
- Place
- Lihue, HI
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N445KPRobinson R44
- Defining event
- Enroute: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 10, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20181110017169A
- Case key
- 98658
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The passenger’s improper decision to hold her cell phone outside the helicopter, which resulted in it departing the helicopter and striking the tail rotor.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, before the helicopter tour flight, he had briefed the passengers, but they still attempted to take cell phones onboard without cases. He then gave the passengers cases and attached them to their wrists. During the flight, while the helicopter was flying about 100 knots, the right-side passenger held her cell phone and case outside of the cabin into the airflow, which resulted in the cell phone and case without the strap exiting the helicopter and subsequently impacting the tail rotor. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail rotor. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, before the helicopter tour flight, passengers had been briefed, but still attempted to take cell phones onboard without "a case". He then supplied the cases and attached them to the passengers wrist. During the flight, while at approximately 100 knots, the right side passenger extended her cell phone, in the case, outside of the cabin into the airflow. The cell phone and case, minus the strap, departed the helicopter and impacted the tail rotor. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail rotor. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N445KP
- Reported as
- Robinson R44 (II)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 11693
- Built
- 2007
- Airframe hours
- 2,473.6
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- Hawaii Pacific Aviation Inc
- Registered owner
- Hawaii Pacific Aviation Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 24, 2018
- Departed
- LIH · Lihue, HI
- Destination
- LIH · Lihue, HI
- Equipment
- None
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 36
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 30, 2017
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 2,359.1 total · 1,478 in this make and model · 2,315 as pilot in command · 313 in the last 90 days · 103 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 20 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- PHLI, 9 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 11, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.