Robinson R44 N744BS

Summary

On 11 November 2017 at about 20:00 local time, a Robinson R44 registered N744BS was involved in an accident near Page, Arizona, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 November 2017 at 20:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Page, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Page Municipal Airport (PGA)

Coordinates

36.9222, -111.4422

Aircraft

Robinson R44

Registration

N744BS

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2008

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Page → Page

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR18LA031

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to maintain pitch control of the helicopter while transitioning from a hover to forward flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot was conducting a personal flight in the helicopter to practice operating in the traffic pattern and performing landings and hovers. When the helicopter was transitioning from a hover to forward flight, the nose suddenly pitched down more than expected. The pilot immediately applied aft cyclic but was unable to arrest the downward pitch. The helicopter subsequently impacted the ground and came to rest on its side. The passenger reported that first the skids and then the rotor blades contacted the ground. During a postaccident examination of the helicopter, flight control continuity was established with no anomalies noted that would have precluded normal operations. Thus, the pilot likely did not maintain a proper pitch attitude while transitioning to forward flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.