Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II accident near Belgium, Wisconsin, August 10, 2012
On August 10, 2012 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, registered N144DZ, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Belgium, Wisconsin (Private airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the helicopter while landing in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 2012 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Belgium, Wisconsin · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II
- Registration
- N144DZ · registry record · serial 10100
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was trying to land the helicopter in a confined area, between trees, a house, and a beach wall. The helicopter touched down on a slight hump that was concealed by grass and started to slide backwards. The pilot pulled up on the collective, and the helicopter lifted off again rapidly. The pilot tried to maneuver the helicopter to remain within and land again in the confined area. When the pilot landed again, the helicopter settled down on the front tips of the skids, which then broke at the fuselage down arm attach point. During the postaccident examination of the helicopter, the pilot noted that one of the main rotor blades sustained impact damage consistent with debris being blown up into the rotor during the landing. The pilot did not list any mechanical malfunctions associated with the helicopter during the accident flight. Nearby wind was reported to be out of 350 degrees at 12 knots, gusting to 22 knots.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 93 hours in all; 73 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 28 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 22, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,120 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 16, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sun Aero Helicopters
The flight
- Departed from: UES Waukesha WI at 8:30 pm
- Destination: Belgium WI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 12 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from SBM, 15 miles away
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.