ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II
Slaton, TX — September 18, 2012
Event Information
| Date | September 18, 2012 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | CEN12CA643 |
| Event ID | 20120919X01248 |
| Location | Slaton, TX |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 33.48528, -101.66167 |
| Airport | Slaton Municipal |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY |
| Model | R44 II |
| Category | HELI |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 1 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The pilot’s misalignment of the helicopter during landing, which resulted in the helicopter’s fall from a raised platform.
Full Narrative
After a local flight, the pilot positioned the helicopter onto its platform trailer. The helicopter’s left skid touched down on the metal surface and the pilot then lowered the right skid to the platform. The helicopter started to slip off the platform, so the pilot raised the collective to correct the problem. However, the helicopter fell to the left, the main rotor impacted the ground, and the tail boom was severed. The helicopter came to rest on the skids: the fuel tank was compromised and a post-crash fire consumed a majority of the helicopter.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.