- Date
- October 2, 2007, 10:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Lake Powell, UT
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N644BSRobinson R44 II
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 29, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20071002825149A
- Case key
- 66802
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 pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and failure to remove a tie-down strap before departure.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot stated he was distracted during the preflight inspection and neglected to remove the left rear tie-down. During takeoff, the helicopter rolled and came to rest on its left side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotors, tail boom, and cabin.
Factual narrative
On October 2, 2007, about 1000 mountain daylight time, a Robinson R44 II N644BS, rolled over at a watercraft landing zone in Lake Powell, Utah. The pilot was operating the helicopter under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries; the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The local personal flight was departing Lake Powell with a planned destination of Page Municipal Airport, Page, Arizona. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
In a written report to the National Transportation Safety Board, the pilot stated he was distracted during the preflight inspection and neglected to remove the left rear tie-down strap. Upon departure, he sensed the helicopter had a tendency to turn to the left. He noted that the helicopter was reacting in an uncontrolled manner. During an attempt to return from hover to the landing zone, the helicopter rolled and came to rest on its left side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotors, tail boom, and cabin.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N644BS
- Reported as
- Robinson R44 II
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 11642
- Airframe hours
- 155
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5, 245 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 1, 2007
- Departed
- Lake Powell, UT
- Destination
- PGA · Page, AZ
- Airport
- NONE · Watercraft LZ
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
- 63
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Multi-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 1, 2007
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 6,052 total · 1,796 in this make and model · 38 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.28 inHg
- Observed at
- PGA
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.