- Date
- August 3, 2025, 17:29 local (23:29 UTC)
- Place
- Ponderosa Pines, MT
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N750GTRobinson Helicopter R44 II
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 6, 2025
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA-FSDO
- FAA report
- 20250803011099A
- Case key
- 200712
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 improper pedal application during an approach to a hover.
Findings · 3
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 he was transitioning the helicopter into a 4 ft hover when he encountered a wind gust. The pilot stated that he overreacted with too much right pedal and the helicopter rotated right, the left skid impacted the ground, which resulted in a dynamic rollover and impact with terrain. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and tailboom. The pilot reported there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N750GT
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44 II
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 11783
- Built
- 2007
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540, 245 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Anna Kopp
- Registered owner
- Dragonfly Flight Adventures LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- BZN · Bozeman, MT
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 42
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 1, Unknown
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 230 total
- Role
- Pilot-rated passenger
- Injuries
- Minor
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Icing
- Unknown
- Turbulence
- Unknown
- Observed at
- KBZN, 17 nm away
- METAR
- KBZN 040056Z 01005KT 10SM CLR 28/M01 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP133 T02831011=
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 6, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 6.6 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.