Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II accident near Buras, Louisiana, January 8, 2025
On January 8, 2025 at about 7:00 pm local time, a 2005 Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, registered N430JM, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Buras, Louisiana (Matidora airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain control during a hover taxi with a quartering tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 8, 2025 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Buras, Louisiana · Matidora · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, built 2005
- Registration
- N430JM · no longer on the register · serial 10733
- 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 after returning from a local flight, he entered an in-ground effect hover taxi directly into the wind at the airport. While in the hover the pilot started a right pedal turn when he encountered a sudden right quartering tailwind. The pilot attempted to correct for the sudden wind; however, directional control was immediately lost, and the helicopter impacted the runway upright which resulted in substantial damage to the main rotor system, the fuselage, and tail rotor system. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operations. At the time of the accident, the pilot was hover taxiing the helicopter with wind from 020° at 15 knots gusting to 20 knots. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented by performing a left pedal turn instead of the right pedal turn.
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 taxi (from runway) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during taxi (from runway)
- Ground collision during taxi (from runway)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › (general) › Effect on equipment
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 54 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,032 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 17, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 (piston); 865 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04, 2,015 ft by 20 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.35 inHg
- Observation at 12:55 pm from KNBG, 38 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on February 21, 2025. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo Array | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | 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.