Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II accident near Central, Alaska, September 7, 2009
On September 7, 2009 at about 1:35 am local time, a Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, registered N4186Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near Central, Alaska. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the helicopter after an in-flight encounter with a downdraft while landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inadequate evaluation of wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 2009 · about 1:35 am local time
- Place
- Central, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II
- Registration
- N4186Y · registry record · serial 12533
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport helicopter pilot reported that he was on a Title 14, CFR Part 135 passenger flight and was approaching a mountain ridge to drop off two technicians at a radio repeater site. Before beginning his approach, the pilot circled the site to determine the wind conditions, and then began his approach into a 10 knot wind. During the approach to the 5,657 foot level site, the pilot said he encountered a downdraft as the helicopter approached the site, and the helicopter descended below his anticipated approach path. He initiated a go-around, but the helicopter continued to descend, and landed hard, about 150 feet short and down slope of his intended touchdown point. During touchdown, the toes of the helicopter’s skids broke, and the helicopter rocked forward and aft, sustaining substantial damage to the right side of the tail boom. The pilot reported wind conditions on the ground as variable, gusting between 10 and 20 knots. In the pilot’s written statement to the NTSB, he reported that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the helicopter.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Other weather encounter during approach
- Loss of control in flight during approach (VFR go-around) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Climb capability › Capability exceeded
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › (general) › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Downdraft › Effect on operation
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › (general) › Awareness of condition
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,408 hours in all; 892 in this make and model; 169 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 1,483 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 487 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 9, 2009; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Alpine Air Alaska INC
The flight
- Departed from: FAI Fairbanks AK at 5:00 pm
- Destination: Central AK
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.60 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N4186Y the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.