30-Sep-18 N440SH Robinson R44 Westminster, US-Maryland
Helicopter was trying to take off from the top level of a parking garage when the operator lost control, striking a parked car
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11-Nov-17 N744BS Robinson R44 Page, US-Arizona
Crashed at the end of the runway
06-Nov-17 N7085M Robinson R44 Inwood, US-Iowa
The sheriff was reported as saying Pilot Robert Krier with Ride the Sky Helicopters and passenger Steve Ahrendt, the owner of the cattle, were in the helicopter when it clipped a power line looking for loose cattle. Both occupants reported as suffering serious injuries.
Tags: Accidents, Civil, R44, Ride the Sky Helicopters, Robinson, Safety, US-Iowa
18-Aug-17 VH-LGN Robinson R44 Channel Point, Australia
Passing 500 ft in a descending turn at approximately 50 kt, the pilot reported the helicopter began to vibrate. The pilot was unable to stop the vibration and conducted a precautionary landing. The helicopter landed hard and severed the tail boom. The helicopter sustained substantial damage and the pilot and three passengers were not injured.
09-Jun-17 N590GG Robinson R44 Douglas, US-Wyoming
Main blades sliced tail boom and skids splayed out on heavy landing in gusty conditions. 2 POB injured
03-Jun-17 N7091F Robinson R44 Dimmit, US-Texas (1F)
Date was recorded as 04-Jun-17 when helicopter wreckage was found, but as reports state the pilot’s family were looking “in the middle of the night” for him, and he was last seen on 03-Jun-17, we believe the accident date would most likely have been 03-Jun-17. NTSB also tweeted on 4th June that they were attending “investigating yesterday’s crash of a Robinson R-44 helicopter in Dimmit, TX”. No details of the situation have been reported, bar that it was working low level checking on cattle.
The accident killed 68-year old Don Oppliger – whos company owns ranches and farms in Texas, New Mexico and Nebraska to support the feeding of 230,000 cattle in six large feedlots. More than 90,000 acres of the roughly 150,000 acres held by the company are in Nebraska, including properties near Paxton, Wallace, Atkinson, Tryon and Johnstown.
Tags: Accidents, Civil, Fatal, R44, Robinson, Safety, US-Texas
02-Jun-17 D-HFCQ Robinson R44 Rostock, Germany
Main blades struck street light on final approach to land at the Hohe Düne marina, and the instability created led to the crash. Tail (including rotor) separated in the accident. The complete scene is best seen in this YouTube video. Light injuries to the 4 POB – although some reports say 3 POB and one injury on the ground.
There is a marked helipad at this location – see map
28-May-17 XB-CCP Robinson R44 II Chiconquiaco, Mexico
Crashed and destroyed by fire. 3 POB seriously injured. Passengers named as Carlos Marcelo Ruiz Sánchez and Juan Domínguez were transferred to a hospital in Naolinco, while the pilot was taken to a hospital in Xalapa.
19-May-17 Robinson R44 Heilbron, South Africa (2F)
two farmers and their sons were returning home from the Nampo Harvest Day on Bothaville in the Free State when the accident occurred. One farmer, Douw Wentzel Snr, and the other farmer’s son Andre Deale suffered fatal injuries.
Tags: Accidents, Civil, Fatal, R44, Robinson, Safety, South Africa
10-May-17 N428JG Robinson R44 Vevay, US-Indiana
Struck powerline during agricultural work and force landed in the field below
Tags: Accidents, Agricultural, Civil, R44, Robinson, Safety, St Louis Helicopter
05-May-17 N981RR Robinson R44 Santa Barbara, US-California
Two passengers and a pilot were taking a waterfront tour, when the R44 experienced mechanical problems and an emergency landing was made. The helicopter struck two vans near a golf course and caught fire, but all three occupants got out before the flames broke out.
Operator was Santa Barbara Helicopter Tours, who lease it from Spitzer Helicopters
Tags: Accidents, Civil, R44, Robinson, Safety, Santa Barbara Helicopter Tours, US-California
04-May-17 RA-04156 Robinson R44 Inzer, Russia (3F)
Crashed killing 3 onboard as the helicopter was monitoring forest fires in Bashkortostan, Russia. Reports coming in state that the pilot and 2 forestry workers were killed instantly when the R44 came down in the forest
Tags: Accidents, Civil, Fatal, R44, Robinson, Russia, Safety
03-May-17 N401JS Robinson R44 Cimarron, US-New Mexico
FAA report no injuries in force landing, damage to helicopter “unknown”
Tags: Accidents, Civil, R44, Robinson, Safety, US-New Mexico
26-Mar-16 C-GAWZ Robinson R44 Redfern Lake, Canada
on a local pleasure flight from a private facility at Redfern Lake, BC. As the pilot attempted a landing at approximately 7800 feet ASL near the edge of a cirque, the aircraft encountered descending air on final. The pilot elected to continue the approach and increased the collective to maintain the sight picture. The pilot then noticed the low rotor warning with the rotor RPM decreasing rapidly toward 70%. The aircraft landed hard and rolled over several times down the slope. The pilot and the two passengers evacuated the aircraft with no injuries. There was no post impact fire; however the aircraft sustained substantial damage.
CADORS 2016P0406
09-Dec-15 N4427H Robinson R44 West Palm Beach, US-Florida
Accident reported on NTSB website without further details
02-Dec-15 ZS-SDJ Robinson R44 II Musiva, South Africa (2F)
Both occupants suffered fatal injuries when this R44 went down in the Limpopo region of South Africa. The pair were named as De Klerk van Heerden and Roxanne van der Bank
Tags: Accidents, Civil, Fatal, R44, Robinson, Safety, South Africa
16-Oct-15 N443MM Robinson R44 II Lincoln Park, US-Illinois
Emergency landing in the parking lot outside a store after reported fuel problems. No Damage apparent in press photos
07-Oct-15 ZS-HIG Robinson R44 Lephalale, South Africa
Helicopter crashed, injuring vet Niel Kriel and game keeper Dirk Uys
05-Oct-15 N442RP Robinson R44 Parkston, US-South Dakota
R44 with four POB crashed at the AgLand Cooperative fertilizer plant. Images show (1) tail boom sliced by main rotor blades and (2) heavy damage to the front of the cabin and all occupants injured, with two treated locally at Avera St. Benedict Hospital and two with more serious injuries transferred to a more equipped medical center in Sioux Falls. The three pasengers were all AgLand employees. The location is very close to Parkston Municpal Airport
Tags: Accidents, Civil, R44, Robinson, Safety, US-South Dakota
09-Sep-15 C-GZFX Robinson R44 Foleyet, Canada (2F)
Helicopter crashed into trees, dropping vertically nose-first between the trees down to the ground, killing both on board – named as 24-year-old Jeremie Belanger and 41-year-old Ken Mielke – both were pilots were pilots for Apex Helicopters, which was performing aerial spraying for a forestry company in the area.
CADORS 2015O2625
Tags: Accidents, Apex Helicopters, Canada, Civil, Fatal, R44, Robinson, Safety
07-Sep-15 RA-04151 Robinson R44 Baltasinsky, Russia
During a hard landing in a field with low-level crop (presumably an emergency landing?), the helicopter rocked back onto its tail, resulting in the tail rotor gearbox and tail shearing off. Rest of helicopter appears unscathed, apart from the skids being splayed out as a result of the heavy landing.
Tags: Accidents, Aviaservice, Civil, R44, Robinson, Russia, Safety
28-Aug-15 N440SA Robinson R44 Cheyenne, US-Wyoming
The helicopter landed hard from an altitude of about 15 feet and slid about 8 to 10 feet. Both skids were spread apart and broken and the helicopter came to rest on its fuselage. Both tail rotor blades separated and the vertical stabilizer was damaged. There was some buckling of the fuselage. The tail boom and main rotor blades appeared to be undamaged, and there was no discernible tail strike.
25-Aug-15 N444KD Robinson R44 Ketchum, US-Oklahoma
Pilot John Marcotte suffered minor injuries. Tail boom sliced in two places, helicopter ended on its starboard side in a hay field – approx one mile out after departing local airfield
22-Aug-15 Robinson R44 College Station, US-Texas
Clipped tree and crashed to the ground during filming operations. Wayne Bomstad received minor injuries. Pilot Jacob Oliver was still in hospital four days later according to this report.
17-Aug-15 G-LHXL Robinson R44 Goodwood, UK
Large taildragger fixed wing (Boeing Stearman N56200) taxied directly into the parked and unattended R44, causing extensive damage to cabin, avionics etc.
Tags: Accidents, Civil, Phoenix Helicopter Academy, R44, Robinson, Safety, UK
08-Aug-15 RA-04383 Robinson R44 Alehnovo, Russia (4F)
Mid-air with Cessna U206F Floatplane RA-67523 killing all four in the R44 and five in the Cessna. Initial reports say the Cessna pilot was taking off in the evening into the sun and likely did not see the helicopter
Tags: Accidents, Civil, Fatal, R44, Robinson, Russia, Safety
01-Aug-15 OO-KMN Robinson R44 Belgium
Date is estimated, and may be any time in the range 23-Jun (last known flight) to 05-Aug, when the helicopter was seen damaged on a trailer in the insurance compound at Fairoaks Airport in the UK. Helicopter looks mostly complete, but tail boom a little bent and the lower part of the tail is bent round, suggesting a tail strike.
27-Jul-15 5Y-HCC Robinson R44 Karuga, Kenya
Landing accident with helicopter ending on its starboard side. 3 POB not serious injured
Tags: Accidents, Civil, Helicopter Charter East Africa, Kenya, R44, Robinson, Safety
24-Jul-15 C-FRAP Robinson R44 Strathroy, Canada
Helicopter was being used to spray fungicide on fields of corn. The pilot approached and overflew one field checking for hazards and wind conditions, and then began a spray swath across the field. Midway through the first swath, the pilot heard the low rotor horn sound. Manually rolling the throttle up did not prevent the rotor RPM from continuing to drop. The pilot then attempted a quick stop and a controlled autorotation into the corn. The helicopter was substantially damaged by the impact but the pilot who was wearing a four point shoulder harness and a helmet was not injured.
CADORS 2015O1892
Tags: Accidents, Agricultural, Canada, Civil, R44, Robinson, Safety, Zimmer Air Services
15-Jul-15 N8337Z Robinson R44 Sandusky, US-Michigan
Helicopter landed at a manufacturing business, severing powerline. After brief stop on the ground – and “the authorities had arrived at the scene“, the helicopter took off again and departed the area
14-Jul-15 VH-VOH Robinson R44 Alice Springs, Australia
During mustering operations, the helicopter collided with terrain, resulting in substantial damage (photo). The pilot, who was the sole occupant of the helicopter, sustained minor injuries.
Final report says “According to the Carburettor Icing Probability chart, the conditions indicated a high probability of serious carburettor icing at descent power.”
Tags: Accidents, Australia, Civil, Mustering, R44, Robinson, Safety
12-Jul-15 N577AT Robinson R44 Viola, US-Tennessee
Substantially damaged after hitting wires during agricultural operations
Tags: Accidents, Agricultural, Civil, R44, Robinson, Safety, US-Tennessee
10-Jul-15 C-FTJG Robinson R44 Canmore, Canada
There were no reported injuries among the 4 souls on board. Search and rescue located the site via emergency locator transmitter (ELT) signal and extracted the occupants. Unknown damage to the aircraft. CADORS 2015C2524
01-Jul-15 N824DK Robinson R44 Gettysburg, US-South Dakota
Clipped a power line on climb-out at 9.30pm, landed and skidded on a highway and came to a stop in a ditch
Tags: Accidents, Civil, R44, Robinson, Safety, US-South Dakota
27-Jun-15 RA-05765 Robinson R44 Tisulskom, Russia (3F)
After striking a low level wire, the pilot elected to land on the shoreline (or sandbank?) of a river. On subsequent take-off the pilot lost control and crashed – photo shows it on a rocky shoreline.
Tags: Accidents, Civil, Fatal, R44, Robinson, Russia, Safety
25-Jun-15 G-CDXX Robinson R44 Leicester, UK
Take off accident, helicopter fell onto its side. One minor injury
Tags: Accidents, Civil, Helicentre Aviation, R44, Robinson, Safety, UK
25-Jun-15 G-CDXX Robinson R44 II Leicester, UK
The pilot was intending to make a local flight and having completed his pre-flight checks, gradually increased the rotor rpm to about 80%. From the CCTV it can be observed that at about this time, the helicopter rapidly yawed to the left and rotated through about 290° before tipping over onto its right side. The helicopter came to rest with a sufficient gap between the forward right door, which had opened as the helicopter struck the ground, and the concrete apron to enable the pilot to vacate the helicopter unaided. The pilot reported sustaining minor injuries.
Tags: Accidents, Civil, Helicentre Aviation, R44, Robinson, Safety, UK
21-Jun-15 N305CG Robinson R44 Danville, US-Arkansas
Force landing in field, aircraft destroyed
14-Jun-15 VH-KJJ Robinson R44 Timber Creek, Australia (1F)
The aircraft collided with terrain while conducting aerial agriculture operations. The pilot, the only person on board, died as a result of the accident – named here as Dougal Brett
Tags: Accidents, Australia, Civil, Fatal, R44, Robinson, Safety
22-May-15 Robinson R44 Bumbu River, Papua New Guinea
Crashed into a shallow river, possibly after hitting wires. 4 POB rescued OK. Even if the helicopter survived in a rebuildable state, the locals manage to pull it apart sufficiently in this video that it is most unlikely to be rebuilt. This tweet claims it was unregistered. The occupants were all from Frabelle Fishing, a Filipino company
Tags: Accidents, Civil, Papua New Guinea, R44, Robinson, Safety
24-Apr-15 N7371T Robinson R44 Lakeland, US-Florida
Blade damaged while helicopter being fueled. The location and date suggest that this was at the Sun’N’Fun event
22-Apr-15 HS-PLL Robinson R44 Koh Kret, Thailand
Crashed and ended on its port side in farm field. Female passenger slightly wounded, while the two men were transported by a local rescue team to Chonpratan Hospital
Tags: Accidents, Civil, Heliluck Aviation, R44, Robinson, Safety, Thailand
03-Apr-15 ZS-HFO Robinson R44 Coniston, South Africa
Very heavy autorotation landing resulted in skids being ripped off and helicopter coming to rest on its starboard side. Owner reported in his own Facebook post that this was after the “newly fitted Lycoming Engine had just 15 minutes of flight time and lost power on its second flight approx 10 minutes after take off”, and happened at a reported 400ft agl. A later report quotes the South African CAA as saying the issue “was solely caused by a Spider Fuel Distributor that came apart in flight after engineers had hand fitted four pipes and failed to use proper equipment to tighten the flexible pipes with metal endings”.
Pilot was owner Prem Balram and suffered minor injuries while passenger Jerome Sumdath was admitted to the ICU with spinal injuries
29-Mar-15 OK-RRJ Robinson R44 Modrava, Czech Republic (1F)
Crashed into trees shortly after take-off from a site described as ” inaccessible” – pilot reported to have stayed the night in a cottage in the woods. Weather mentioned as a possible factor in some reports
Tags: Accidents, Civil, Czech Republic, Fatal, R44, Robinson, Safety
22-Mar-15 N30242 Robinson R44 Orlando, US-Florida (3F)
R44 went down two miles west of the airport it took off from, crashing into a house and killing the pilot and two passengers – later named here as Bruce Teitelbaum, 48, and Marsha Khan, 55, and Harry Anderson, 42
Tags: Accidents, Civil, Fatal, R44, Robinson, Safety, US-Florida
20-Mar-15 N701CT Robinson R44 Hot Springs, US-Arkansas
While landing at his own helipad, the pilot said the ground gave way beneath the pad causing the tail rotor to strike the dirt. This caused the helicopter to spin uncontrollably, and it ended up in nearby trees
13-Mar-15 ZK-IWL Robinson R44 French Pass, New Zealand (1F)
Heilcopter struck wires crossing an 800m wide sea inlet known as French Pass between D’Urville Island and the mainland. Sole occupant pilot named as Ian John Simcox, 65, from Blenheim was killed
Tags: Accidents, Civil, Fatal, New Zealand, R44, Robinson, Safety
13-Mar-15 N702TF Robinson R44 Hammerton, US-New Jersey
Emergency, with no apparent damage from press photo
Tags: Accidents, Civil, R44, Robinson, Safety, US-New Jersey
10-Mar-15 RA-06397 Robinson R44 Barlak, Russia
Helicopter damaged, but no details on circumstances. pilot not injured
Tags: Accidents, Civil, R44, Robinson, RosInstalAvia, Russia, Safety
05-Mar-15 F-GOLT Robinson R44 Beaune, France
Extensively damaged – hired by PPL from Hélitravaux. 3 POB all to hospital.
Tags: Accidents, Civil, France, Hélitravaux, R44, Robinson, Safety
28-Feb-15 N7425T Robinson R44 Lexington, US-Oregon
Force landing on a road intersection
Tags: Accidents, Civil, Leading Edge Aviation, R44, Robinson, Safety, US-Oregon
25-Feb-15 G-CEDG Robinson R44 Aspley Guise, UK
3 POB not seriously injured after emergency landing in farmland and helicopter ended upside down. Was en route to Sussex
Appears from BBC story that pilot had problem with tail rotor control and executed a run on landing on a level but soft field, and then one skid dug into the mud and flipped the helicopter over.
19-Feb-15 ZK-IPY Robinson R44 Queenstown, New Zealand (2F)
Fatalities named in the press as Stephen Anthony Nicholson Combe, aged 42, of Wanaka, and James Louis Patterson Gardner, aged 18, of Queenstown
Tags: Accidents, Civil, Fatal, New Zealand, Over The Top, R44, Robinson, Safety
13-Feb-15 CC-PHY Robinson R44 San Lorenzo, Chile (3F)
Helicopter with four on board crashed in forest area. One passenger (named as Miguel Zunino Valenzuela) jumped clear just before the helicopter crashed and the other three died in the accident, including Ítalo Zunino Muratori, Nicolás Fossatti and pilot Luis Alvarado.
01-Feb-15 N510KJ Robinson R44 Calexico, US-California
Pilot experienced a loss of engine power during turn on approach – autorotation unsuccessful due to low altitude. The helicopter landed hard and rolled onto its right side, resulting in substantial damage to the forward fuselage and tailboom.
Tags: Accidents, Civil, John Reed Aviation, R44, Robinson, Safety, US-California
10-Jan-15 PR-HPR Robinson R44 Santa Monica, Brazil (1F)
The pilot was killed and an occupant was seriously injured after a helicopter crashed in the PR-576 highway, in Santa Monica, Paraná. Post crash fire. Helicopter reportedly hit a large bird, and wires during emergency landing
Tags: Accidents, Brazil, Civil, Fatal, R44, Robinson, Safety
09-Jan-15 VH-YMD Robinson R44 Alice Springs, Australia
After taking off and clearing some trees, the helicopter began to lose rotor RPM and the pilot elected to land nearby. During the landing, the helicopter sustained some damage, but the helicopter remained upright and the pilot and passengers were uninjured. Helicopter was being used for a police search for a missing 23-year old who died after trying to ride a tyre tube down the normally dry Todd River.
Tags: Accidents, Alice Springs Helicopters, Australia, Civil, Law Enforcement, R44, Robinson, Safety
06-Jan-15 N7030J Robinson R44 Woburn, US-Massachusetts
Emergency landing in parking lot while on low level traffic patrol over Route 128. No damage, no injuries
Tags: Accidents, Civil, R44, Robinson, Safety, US-Massachusetts
02-Jan-15 N3183T Robinson R44 San Juan, Puerto Rico (1F)
Fatal accident, no further details yet
Tags: Accidents, Civil, Fatal, Puerto Rico, R44, Robinson, Safety
29-Dec-14 C-FITZ Robinson R44 Grande Prairie, Canada
On take off, main rotor blade(s) contacted the wind sock mast. A vibration was felt and the pilot landed immediately at the same site. An inspection of the main rotor revealed damage to one of the blades. CADORS 2014C5006
29-Dec-14 N174CD Robinson R44 Horseshoe Bay, US-Texas
Substantially damaged in heavy landing – photo. Sole occupant pilot Charles Deyhle Jr was reportedly uninjured. Reportedly due to gusty conditions when trying to land on a ground handling trolley
22-Dec-14 ZS-RMH Robinson R44 Benoni, South Africa
Crashed onto highway after reported power failure, extensively damaged. Minor injuries to pilot
R44 identification from comparison between this photo of ZS-RMH flying and the large titles on the side on this photo – it is feasible, although unlikely, that there is another R44 in the same colour scheme
22-Dec-14 HB-ZMQ Robinson R44 Zurich, Switzerland
Shortly after take-off, the helicopter contacted the ground again and fell onto its starboard side. Private pilot had rented helicopter from Heli-Zuri for a flight to Ticino. Final confirmation required on reg
Tags: Accidents, Civil, Heli-Zuri, R44, Robinson, Safety, Switzerland
13-Dec-14 PT-YPW Robinson R44 Buritama, Brazil
Crashed shortly after take-off. Local press reports indicate that either the pilot was not licenced, or the aircraft did not have a current airworthiness certificate, or both. 2 POB – unnamed pilot and his passenger, named as Giorgio da Silva Souza
07-Dec-14 PT-YHP Robinson R44 Terra Boa, Brazil
Helicopter was not authorized scenic flights in the state of Parana, crashed shortly after takeoff, injuring the four occupants of the aircraft. The airworthiness certificate had expired over two years earlier
02-Dec-14 N3234U Robinson R44 Bountiful, US-Utah (2F)
Main rotor and mast separated shortly after take-off from Sky Park Airport on post-maintenance test flight to track and balance the blades. Two fatalities named later as Claus Hauer and Bruce Orr
Tags: Accidents, Civil, Fatal, R44, Robinson, Safety, US-Utah