- Date
- August 18, 2025, 10:08 local (17:08 UTC)
- Place
- Burlington, WA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N877DRRobinson Helicopter R44 II
- Defining event
- Taxi: Loss of visual reference
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 20, 2025
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20250818018099A
- Case key
- 200870
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 failure to see and avoid the light pole, which resulted in a collision with the light pole and subsequent ground impact.
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
According to the pilot, prior to departure, while in a 10 ft hover, he maneuvered away from a parked vehicle when the helicopter struck a light pole to the aft and right side of the helicopter. Subsequently, the helicopter descended and impacted the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the tailboom and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N877DR
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44 II
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 12520
- Built
- 2008
- Airframe hours
- 3,415
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5, 205 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Cline Air Services LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 28, 2025
- Airport
- BVS · Skagit Rgnl
- Equipment
- ADS-B
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
- 68
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 24, 2025
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 16,775 total · 751 in this make and model · 14,502 as pilot in command · 121 in the last 90 days · 49 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Observed at
- KBVS
- METAR
- METAR KBVS 181655Z AUTO 20005KT 10SM BKN050 BKN060 BKN075 18/13 A3003 RMK A01=
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 20, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.2 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.