Robinson R44 accident near Slave Lake, Alberta, Ca, December 5, 2012
On December 5, 2012 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Robinson R44, registered CFRSO, was substantially damaged in an accident near Slave Lake, Alberta. It was flown under rules the NTSB did not record. 1 person was killed.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 5, 2012 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Slave Lake, Alberta, Canada
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Robinson R44 II · all R44s on the register
- Registration
- CFRSO · no longer on the register · serial 12308
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · rules the NTSB did not record
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On December 5, 2012, about 1200 mountain standard time, a Robinson R-44 Raven II helicopter, Canadian registration C-FRSO, impacted terrain approximately 12 miles southwest of Slave Lake, Alberta, Canada. The pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) of Canada is investigating the accident. As the State of Manufacture of the helicopter and engines, the NTSB has designated a U.S. accredited representative to assist the TSB in its investigation. All inquiries concerning this accident should be directed to the TSB of Canada: Transportation Safety Board of Canada 200 Promenade du Portage Place du Centre, 4th Floor Hull, Quebec K1A 1K8 Canada Website: http://www.tsb.gc.ca
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
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
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.
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.