NTSB CAROL · Event
Event CHI90LA186
Registry · N21LA
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
ROBINSON HELICOPTER R44 II
Year of manufacture
2006
TCDS
H11NM · ROBINSON HELICOPTER CO
Engine
LYCOMING IO-540-AE1A5 (260 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20140724
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A1B824
Registrant of record
ROTOR LEASING LLC
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
UNDETERMINED PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING THE INITIAL CLIMBOUT. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING.
Factual narrative
THE PRIVATE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE PERFORMED NORMALLY DURING THE RUN-UP, TAKEOFF, CLIMBOUT, AND A BRIEF LOCAL FLIGHT. SHE RETURNED TO THE TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR LANDINGS. SHE REPORTED THAT DURING CLIMBOUT AFTER THE FIRST TOUCH AND GO, SHE NOTICED A 'SEVERE LACK OF POWER IN THE ENGINE.' SHE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, AND THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED INTO A WOODED AREA. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE REMAINED RUNNING AT REDUCED RPM UNTIL GROUND IMPACT. THE PILOT REPORTED A TOTAL FLIGHT TIME OF 80 HOURS, INCLUDING 78 HOURS IN THE ACCIDENT MAKE AND MODEL AIRPLANE. THE ENGINE HAD 2,960 HOURS TOTAL TIME, AND HAD NEVER BEEN OVERHAULED. THE CAUSE OF THE PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER WAS NOT DETERMINED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1990_CHI90LA186.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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