Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II accident near San Isidro, Texas, August 21, 2022
On August 21, 2022, a 2009 Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, registered N4447A, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Isidro, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper decision to conduct an autorotation with a tailwind, which resulted in a hard landing and substantial damage.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 2022
- Place
- San Isidro, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, built 2009
- Registration
- N4447A · registry record · serial 12906
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was practicing autorotations when the accident occurred. After successfully completing several autorotations from the same direction, he elected to attempt one from a different direction, which put the helicopter into a tailwind. During the maneuver, when the pilot rolled off the throttle, the helicopter “lost RPM”. He attempted to add power but was too low to the ground and the helicopter landed hard and rolled onto its side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and the pilot was seriously injured. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Autorotation Hard landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 15 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
Weather report (METAR): KMFE 202353Z 10015G21KT 10SM CLR 32/23 A2987 RMK AO2 SLP113 60000 T03220228 10356 20317 56006
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on September 15, 2022. 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's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.