Robinson Helicopter R44 accident near Hochatown, Oklahoma, October 1, 2023
On October 1, 2023 at about 5:30 pm local time, a 2012 Robinson Helicopter R44, registered N379SH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hochatown, Oklahoma. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
A total loss of engine power during a practice autorotation due to the improper engine idle setting and rigging of the carburetor heat control 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
- October 1, 2023 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hochatown, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter R44, built 2012 · all R44s on the register
- Registration
- N379SH · no longer on the register · serial 2240
- 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 conducting a practice autorotation during a proficiency flight about 400 ft above ground level (agl). As he reduced the engine speed to idle, the engine lost total power. The pilot entered an autorotation and completed a forced landing to a field. The helicopter landed hard and the tailboom was severed by the main rotor blades. Examination of the engine revealed that the idle speed was set below 50 percent, which was below the manufacturer’s recommendation of 60 to 65 percent. Additionally, the carburetor heat control cable was rigged improperly, and therefore, was jammed in the full heat position. The combination of these factors would have likely made the engine more susceptible to losing power, especially with an abrupt power reduction initiated by the pilot during the simulated autorotation. After reviewing the available maintenance records, it is possible the engine idle speed was improperly set, and the carburetor heat control was improperly rigged when the engine was overhauled and installed in the helicopter; however, investigators were unable to establish exactly when the misrigging took place or why it was not noticed during subsequent maintenance.
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
- Autorotation Loss of engine power (total) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Ice/rain protection system › (general) › Inadequate inspection
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,353 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 151 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days; 1,349 as pilot in command; 739 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 10, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 241.9 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 16, 2023; 44.2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-F1B5 (piston); 241 hours total
- Operator: Jacasky LLC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.16 inHg
- Observation at 12:15 pm from K4O4, 16 miles away
Weather report (METAR): K4O4 011715Z AUTO VRB05KT 10SM CLR 31/19 A3016 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on November 26, 2024. 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 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Examination Summary | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Maintenance Records | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Robinson Helicopter Safety Notice 27 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Robinson Helicopter Safety Notice 38 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | 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.