Robinson R44 II N555EL
10 October 2021 · Palmer, Alaska, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 10 October 2021 at about 21:20 local time, a Robinson R44 II registered N555EL, operated by Pollux Aviation Ltd, was involved in an accident near Palmer, Alaska, United States. 5 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.
The record
- Date
- at 21:20
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Palmer, Alaska, United States
- Coordinates
- 61.4041, -148.6046
- Aircraft
- Robinson R44 II
- Registration
- N555EL
- Category
- Helicopter
- Year built
- 2005
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Pollux Aviation Ltd
- Operating rule
- Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
- Purpose of flight
- Aerial Observation
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ANC22LA001
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
Probable cause
The unmanned aircraft pilot’s failure to yield the right of way to the helicopter.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot of the helicopter reported that, while conducting an air tour flight he made about a 90° right turn near a scenic area, when he heard a faint “ting” sound. He stated that there was no indication of a mechanical failure or malfunction and the helicopter continued to operate normally, so he continued the flight. After shutdown he noticed damage to one of the main rotor blades and concluded that the helicopter had collided with an uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV). The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor blade. The pilot of the unmanned aircraft system (UAS) reported that while flying his UAV near a scenic area a red helicopter suddenly appeared and collided with the UAV. 14 CFR Part 107.37 Operations near aircraft, right of way rules, states in part: (a) Each small unmanned aircraft must yield the right of way to all aircraft, airborne vehicles, and launch and reentry vehicles. Yielding the right of way means that the small unmanned aircraft must give way to the aircraft or vehicle and may not pass over, under, or ahead of it unless well clear. (b) No person may operate a small unmanned aircraft so close to another aircraft as to create a collision hazard.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Aircraft involved
| Aircraft | Registration | Operator | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robinson R44 II | N555EL | Pollux Aviation Ltd | Substantial |
| Dji AIR IIS | FA3P4CAK37 | Charlie Crosby | Destroyed |
Other Robinson R44 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Sep 2021 | Robinson R44 II | Phoenix, Arizona, United States | Universal Helicopters | Minor injuries | - |
| 7 Jun 2021 | Robinson R44 | Ma'ale Edomin, Israel | - | No injuries | - |
| 3 Oct 2021 | Robinson R44 | Lytkarino, Russia | - | Fatal | 3 |
| 2 Jan 2021 | Robinson R44 | Eaglesham, Canada | - | Fatal | 4 |
| 9 Jan 2021 | Robinson R44 II | Albany, Texas, United States | S2 Helicopter Services LLC | No injuries | - |
| 21 Aug 2021 | Robinson R44 II | Gonzales, Louisiana, United States | Down River Aviation LLC | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 May 2021 | Piper PA-18-105 SPECIAL | Gakona, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 26 Nov 2021 | Piper PA-18 | Palmer, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Mar 2021 | Cessna A185F | Fairbanks, Alaska, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 2 Dec 2021 | Cessna 208 | Port Alsworth, Alaska, United States | Lake and Peninsula Airlines Inc | Minor injuries | - |
| 5 Aug 2021 | Alaskan Air Adventures SQ2 | Talkeetna, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 13 May 2021 | Piper PA-18-105 SPECIAL | Palmer, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |