Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II accident near Pelican, Alaska, August 31, 2021
On August 31, 2021 at about 1:30 am local time, a 2003 Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, registered N779DZ, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Pelican, Alaska. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s loss of control while landing on a remote helipad.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 31, 2021 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Pelican, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, built 2003
- Registration
- N779DZ · registry record · serial 10149
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was landing the helicopter on a remote helipad. After touchdown, he lowered the collective and the helicopter rolled backwards sustaining substantial damage to the main rotor system, fuselage, and tail boom. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation, and that the accident may have been prevented if he had received additional training from the company to include landing on different size helipads, and techniques to ensure the helicopter was safely on the helipad before completely lowering the collective.
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
- Roll over during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,772 hours in all; 496 in this make and model; 59 in the last 90 days; 37 in the last 30 days; 2,696 as pilot in command; 900 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 29, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,438 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 20, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 (piston); 1,249 hours total
- Operator: Helicopter Air Alaska LLC
The flight
- Departed from: Sitka AK
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 pm from PAEL, 5 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAEL 310051Z 27008KT 20SM BKN010 13/11 A3003 RMK SPB E27012KT SEA 0 SWELL 2 SW NOSPECI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on April 18, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N779DZ 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.