Robinson R44 II N212HT

Summary

On 28 September 2021 at about 23:00 local time, a Robinson R44 II registered N212HT, operated by Iftach Shimonovich, was involved in an accident near Miami, Florida, United States. 4 people were on board and one 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

28 September 2021 at 23:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Miami, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Miami Exec (TMB)

Coordinates

25.6476, -80.4332

Aircraft

Robinson R44 II

Registration

N212HT

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2008

Engines

1

Operator

Iftach Shimonovich

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA21LA387

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot’s loss of helicopter control after landing. Also causal was the pilot’s intentional operation of the helicopter without the required training, experience, and endorsements.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot landed the helicopter following a local sightseeing flight with three friends. Review of surveillance video revealed that, after touchdown, the passenger in the helicopter’s left front seat began removing his shoulder harnesses and headset. The passenger moved the headset to his front when the helicopter began a rapid yaw to its left and rotated around the main rotor mast. After one full revolution, the helicopter lifted rapidly from the ground and climbed immediately out of the camera’s view as it continued to rotate rapidly around the main rotor mast. Seconds later, the helicopter descended back into view in an uncontrolled descent. The main rotor disc severed the tailboom in two places ahead of the tail section, which included the tailrotor and tailrotor gearbox, before ground contact. The pilot stated that he had reduced the throttle to idle after touchdown; however, review of the video indicated that the helicopter’s main rotor speed remained constant at its maximum rpm throughout the approach, landing, ground operation, and the accident sequence. The accident helicopter make and model was the subject of a Federal Aviation Administration Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR), which specified academic, flight training, qualification, and currency requirements for pilots acting as pilot-in-command. Review of the pilot’s logbook revealed that he had not received the proper endorsements for operating the helicopter as pilot-in-command as a student pilot, nor had he complied with the annual requirements of the SFAR after receiving his private pilot certificate. Additionally, at the time of the accident, he did not meet the currency requirements specified by the SFAR for carrying passengers in the accident helicopter make/model. Examination of the helicopter revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Based on the available information, the pilot’s loss of control and the helicopter’s uncontrolled takeoff was likely due to his misapplication of collective control after landing or his failure to guard the collective against the passenger’s interference. The pilot displayed a history of intentional noncompliance with regulations, including the SFAR and medical certificate requirements. The pilot's loss of helicopter control after landing is consistent with his lack of recent flight experience and his failure to comply with the training and currency requirements of the SFAR.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.