Robinson accident near Wuppertal-Langerfeld, De, April 28, 2012
On April 28, 2012 at about 4:50 pm local time, a Robinson, registered DHARV, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Wuppertal-Langerfeld. It was a personal flight under non-U.S. private rules. 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- April 28, 2012 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Wuppertal-Langerfeld, Germany
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson
- Registration
- DHARV · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · non-U.S. private rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On April 28, 2012, at 1650 coordinated universal time, a Robinson R44 helicopter, D-HARV, impacted terrain near Wuppertal-Langerfeld, Germany. The pilot and 3 passengers sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight. The accident investigation is under the jurisdiction and control of the German government. This report is for information purposes only. Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Investigation Bundesstelle fuer Flugunfalluntersuchung (BFU) Hermann-Blenk Strasse 16 38108 Braunschweig Germany
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
- Collision during takeoff/land during initial climb defining event
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: General Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: Wuppertal-Lange
- Destination: Unbek
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.