NTSB CAROL · Event
Event CHI88DER08
Registry · N11RA
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
ROBINSON HELICOPTER R44
TCDS
H11NM · ROBINSON HELICOPTER CO
Engine
LYCOMING O-540-F1B5 (260 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20190416
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A02B52
Registrant of record
BIFFLE GREGORY
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Factual narrative
DURING THE CLIMB FROM TAKEOFF, THE FRONT ENGINE SUSTAINED A TOTAL POWER LOSS DUE TO A FUEL LEAK. THE PILOT SECURED THE ENGINE, HOWEVER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, LOSING ABOUT 50 FT PER MINUTE. DUE TO A THUNDERSTORM AT THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT, HE ELECTED TO CONDUCT AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD. HE REPORTED DOWNDRAFTS AND WINDSHIFTS WHICH FORCED THE LANDING TO BE LONG. DURING ROLLOUT THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK AN EMBANKMENT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1988_CHI88DER08.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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Related research
What the literature says.
Academic papers and agency reports matching this event's aircraft type or causal vocabulary (thunderstorm). Sourced from NASA NTRS, NTSB Safety Studies, FAA CAMI, AOPA Air Safety Institute, Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons, arXiv, and the Semantic Scholar academic graph.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (IJAAA)
The Impact of Thunderstorms on Take-off Data in South Africa
Aviation and meteorology are entwined disciplines, as aviation occurs in the atmosphere. Prevailing weather conditions at take-off are of utmost importance to aviation.
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Technical Memorandum (TM)
Thunderstorm hazards flight research: Storm hazards 1980 overview
A highly instrumented NASA F-106B aircraft, modified for the storm hazards mission and protected against direct lightning strikes, was used in conjunction with various ground based radar and lightning…
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Conference Proceedings
Operational evaluation of thunderstorm penetration test flights during project Storm Hazards '80
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is conducting a research project called Storm Hazards '80 in order to study the prediction, detectability and avoidance of the hazards of severe storm…
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Preprint (Draft being sent to journal)
Nowcasting Thunderstorm Anvil Clouds Over KSC/CCAFS
Electrified thunderstorm anvil clouds extend the threat of natural and triggered lightning to space launch and landing operations far beyond the immediate vicinity of thunderstorm cells.
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Contractor Report (CR)
An Examination of Aviation Accidents Associated with Turbulence, Wind Shear and Thunderstorm
The focal point of the study reported here was the definition and examination of turbulence, wind shear and thunderstorm in relation to aviation accidents.
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Observations of severe turbulence near thunderstorm tops
Data derived from the flight tapes of two airliners that experienced severe turbulence near thunderstorm tops are used to produce quantitative descriptions of the turbulence and its environment.
Browse the full corpus — academia portal ↗