Robinson R44 N724H

Summary

On 9 June 2019 at about 18:30 local time, a Robinson R44 registered N724H, operated by Hendricks Aviation LLC, was involved in an accident near Lebanon, Missouri, United States. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 June 2019 at 18:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Lebanon, Missouri, United States

Coordinates

37.7436, -92.5133

Aircraft

Robinson R44

Registration

N724H

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2019

Engines

1

Operator

Hendricks Aviation LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fort Leonard Wood → Lebanon

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA19CA476

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's loss of yaw control and failure to maintain a proper descent rate and his subsequent improper use of the collective instead of the antitorque pedals to correct the yaw, which resulted in a hard landing.   

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, during a vertical descent into a privately owned field and while the helicopter was about 20 ft about ground level, the helicopter yawed right. He then lowered the collective, and the helicopter continued to yaw right, descended, and landed hard. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the cabin assembly. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot added that he mistook the right yaw for a loss of tail rotor effectiveness and should have applied pedal corrections.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.