Robinson R44 accident near Forestville, Ca, March 1, 2011
On March 1, 2011 at about 9:18 pm local time, a Robinson R44 (helicopter), registered CFNZO, was substantially damaged in an accident near Forestville. It was flown under rules the NTSB did not record. 2 people had minor injuries.
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
- March 1, 2011 · about 9:18 pm local time
- Place
- Forestville, Canada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Robinson R44 II · all R44s on the register
- Registration
- CFNZO · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · rules the NTSB did not record
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On March 1, 2011, at 1618 eastern standard time, a Robinson R44II, Canadian registration C-FNZO, collided with the terrain in Forestville, Canada, shortly after departing from the Forestville Airport (CYFE). The helicopter was substantially damaged. The pilot and passenger received minor injuries. The intended destination for the helicopter was the Jean Lesage International Airport (CYQB), Quebec City, Canada. According to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, the helicopter was one in a flight of three that stopped to refuel at CYFE. All three helicopters were mistakenly fueled with Jet B fuel. The two other helicopters made off airport landings without incident. The accident helicopter was damaged during an off airport landing in a residential area near the airport. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Canada. Any further information may be obtained from: Transportation Safety Board of Canada 200 Promenade du Portage Place du Centre, 4th Floor Hull, Quebec K1A 1K8 Canada Web site: http://www.tsb.gc.ca This report is for informational purposes only and contains only information released by or obtained for the Government of Canada.
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
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.