Robinson R44 accident near Dakota, Illinois, July 27, 2020
On July 27, 2020 at about 5:20 pm local time, a 1998 Robinson R44 (helicopter), registered N570WH, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Dakota, Illinois. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 main rotor clearance from a ground obstacle during a landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 2020 · about 5:20 pm local time
- Place
- Dakota, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R44, built 1998 · all R44s on the register
- Registration
- N570WH · registry record · serial 0538
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he repositioned the helicopter to load application chemical for the aerial application flight. The chemical was in a tank in a hay wagon and the tops of the hay wagon curved outward. He "slowly" set the helicopter down and felt the left skid touch followed by the right skid. The pilot lowered collective after the helicopter touched down and the main rotor blade struck the hay wagon. The helicopter "jumped" and shook violently. Both left and right windshields ejected from the helicopter and the main rotors came to a stop. The pilot attempted to shut down the engine; however, the engine continued to run. He exited the helicopter and applied the fuel cutoff. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main and tail rotors, the skids, and the helicopter "frames." The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. His safety recommendation stated that when setting the helicopter down near obstacles, recheck rotor clearance before fully lowering collective and be mindful that "the blades will move out of cone."
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 landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › (general) › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Ground equipment › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,700 hours in all; 380 in this make and model; 145 in the last 90 days; 107 in the last 30 days; 6,100 as pilot in command; 2,700 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 19, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,627.8 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, September 13, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-F1B5 (piston); 3,102 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Mf Helicopters Llc
The flight
- Departed from: Dakota IL at 4:45 pm
- Destination: Dakota IL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:15 pm from KFEP, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on September 3, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record – Communication Summary -- Pilot Indicated No Mechanical Malfunction | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N570WH the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.