Robinson R-44 incident near Miami, Florida, January 23, 1998
On January 23, 1998 at about 3:30 am local time, a Robinson R-44 (helicopter), registered N972SA, was involved in an incident near Miami, Florida (Kendall Tamiami Executive airport). It was a personal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An inadequate service bulletin which did not require measurement of the cyclic trim assembly shaft and did not identify all helicopters in which shaft wear could lead to restricted movement of the lateral cyclic trim.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 23, 1998 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Kendall Tamiami Executive · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R-44 · all R-44s on the register
- Registration
- N972SA · registry record · serial 0394
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, as he was attempting to land, he was unable to apply left cyclic. The pilot made a run-on landing, using right turns, without further incident. Further examination of the cyclic revealed that the lateral trim actuator shaft was worn and lodged in the guide bearing, thus interfering with the surrounding structure. After this incident, the inspection criteria for the lateral cyclic trim system was reviewed. The criteria did not include a measurement of the shaft wear. There was a service bulletin, SB-19, that dealt with excessive shaft wear on Robinson R-44 helicopters, but it did not apply to the incident helicopter. Subsequent to this incident, a new Service Bulletin, SB-26, was released for R-44 helicopters, which stated that the lateral cyclic trim assembly shaft, P/N C585-1, should be measured in several places. If the shaft diameter varies more than 0.004 inches in any 0.50 inch of length, the assembly should be replaced before further flight. After the release of SB-26, a priority Airworthiness Directive (AD), AD 98-04-12, was issued to require compliance with the terms of SB-26.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,500 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 3,400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 64 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 15, 1997; 64 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-F1B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FLL Fort Lauderdale FL at 3:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 8 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:59 am from MIA, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL98IA039.