Robinson Helicopter CO INC ROBINSON R44 II accident near Carlingford, Ie, March 12, 2017
On March 12, 2017 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Robinson Helicopter CO INC ROBINSON R44 II, registered GDORM, was destroyed in an accident during approach near Carlingford. 2 people were seriously injured.
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 12, 2017 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Carlingford, Ireland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter CO INC ROBINSON R44 II
- Registration
- GDORM · no longer on the register · serial 12330
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On March 12, 2017, about 1715 coordinated universal time (UTC), a Robinson Helicopter Company Inc. R44 II helicopter, G-DORM, was destroyed when it impacted terrain during an approach to landing near Carlingford, County Louth, Ireland. The pilot and one passenger sustained serious injuries.The accident investigation is under the jurisdiction and control of the Irish Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU). This report is for informational purposes only and contains only information released by or obtained from the AAIU. Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport Leeson Lane Dublin 2, Ireland D02 TR60 phone: +353 1604 1293
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
- Loss of control in flight during approach defining event
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
- Operator: Aircraft Not Currently On Aoc
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 NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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.