Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II accident near Broomfield, Colorado, July 23, 2011
On July 23, 2011 at about 6:20 pm local time, a Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, registered N915BW, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Broomfield, Colorado (Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Ai 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of control due to the pilot's diverted attention as a result of an open door.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 2011 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Broomfield, Colorado · Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Ai · 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
- N915BW · registry record · serial 11428
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the right door opened during takeoff; he lost control of the helicopter while attempting to secure the door. The helicopter impacted the ramp, the skids separated, and the firewall and tail rotor sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions prior to the accident. He stated that, prior to departure, he checked the security of the door with elbow pressure but postulated that the securing pin was not fully engaged.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during initial climb
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Attention › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Doors › (general) › Related operating info
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 596 hours in all; 444 in this make and model; 492 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 16, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,451 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 23, 2010
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KBJC Broomfield CO
- Destination: KBJC Broomfield CO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 pm from KBJC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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.
Other NTSB records under N915BW the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 CEN11CA511.