NTSB CAROL · Event
Event CEN21LA021
Registry · N31136
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
ROBINSON HELICOPTER R44 II
Year of manufacture
2021
TCDS
H11NM · ROBINSON HELICOPTER CO
Engine
LYCOMING IO-540-AE1A5 (260 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20211130
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A34D68
Registrant of record
MIDWESTERN HELICOPTER LLC
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
The pilot’s failure to maintain lateral control during a hover and improper recovery action after the helicopter contacted the ground, which resulted in a dynamic rollover sequence and an impact with terrain.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that while moving over a slight incline at a hover in preparation for the takeoff, a gust of wind caused the helicopter to weathervane, inadvertently contact the ground, and initiate a rolling motion. Although the proper response was to lower the collective in this situation, the pilot’s immediate reaction was to increase the collective, which exacerbated the dynamic rollover sequence. The helicopter continued the rolling motion and came to rest on its right side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor system, the fuselage, and the tail rotor system. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12
NTSB Findings
Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).
- — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot
- — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Lateral/bank control-Not attained/maintained
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_2020_CEN21LA021.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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