Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II accident near Glenwood Springs, Colorado, March 1, 2011
On March 1, 2011 at about 5:40 pm local time, a Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, registered N74816, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Glenwood Springs, Colorado (Glenwood Springs Municipal 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper takeoff procedure, which resulted in a dynamic rollover when the left skid contacted the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 1, 2011 · about 5:40 pm local time
- Place
- Glenwood Springs, Colorado · Glenwood Springs Municipal · 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
- Registration
- N74816 · no longer on the register · serial 10982
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot refueled his helicopter and was performing a takeoff from an area near the airport’s fuel pumps. As the helicopter began to lift, the pilot allowed the helicopter’s tail to remain in a low attitude. As a result, the aft end of the left skid contacted the ground and the helicopter experienced a dynamic rollover. The helicopter came to rest on its left side, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and tail boom. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during takeoff
- Dynamic rollover during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 134 hours in all; 18 in this make and model
- Last flight review: February 15, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 486 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 11, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: 244 Charlie Delta LLC
The flight
- Departed from: GWS Gleenwood Springs CO
- Destination: Carbondale CO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 41°F (5°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.