Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II accident near Edgemont, South Dakota, February 27, 2025
On February 27, 2025 at about 2:45 pm local time, a 2005 Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, registered N6555C, was involved in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Edgemont, South Dakota (South Dakota Game, Fish, And P airport). It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to properly identify the proper anchor point for the supplemental harness and the crew’s incorrect use of the restraint system structure as an anchor point, which resulted in the separation of the structure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 27, 2025 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Edgemont, South Dakota · South Dakota Game, Fish, And P · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, built 2005
- Registration
- N6555C · registry record · serial 10965
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The purpose of the flight was to survey and capture elk and was operated with the pilot and a non-flight crewmember, the gunner. The gunner’s purpose was to tranquilize elk from the maneuvering helicopter as the pilot positioned the helicopter to match the speed of a target elk. The gunner, who was clipped into the helicopter with a safety harness, fell out of the helicopter while conducting the elk capture operation and sustained serious injuries. The pilot landed the helicopter without further incident. A postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed that the anchor point for the front passenger seat restraint system separated and was still attached to the gunner’s harness. Examination of the separation surfaces revealed deformation along the circumference of each end of the tubing. The gunner was not using the helicopter’s passenger seat restraint system when he fell out of the helicopter; rather, he was using a harness restraint system that was anchored to the vertical tube of the helicopter’s supplemental shoulder harness guide system. The pilot stated that the gunner selected and secured the anchor point for the harness before the flight and the gunner stated that the pilot selected and secured the anchor point. According to the helicopter manufacturer, the anchor point utilized for the harness was not designed to sustain side loads, which resulted in its separation and the gunner falling out of the helicopter.
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
- Cabin safety event during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › (general) › (general) › Incorrect use/operation
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Flight crew
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,041 hours in all; 4,041 in this make and model; 56 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days; 9,791 as pilot in command; 750 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 30, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,192.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 25, 2025; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-AEA5 (piston); 4,234 hours total
- Operator: Kiwi Air LLC
The flight
- Departed from: Rapid City SD at 2:00 pm
- Destination: Rapid City SD
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 am from KCUT, 24 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KCUT 271253Z AUTO 25005KT 10SM CLR M01/M08 A3020 RMK AO2 SLP250 T10111083 $=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on September 3, 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 | Gunner Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Mor Robinson Helicopter Company | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Evidence Control Form | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN25LA105.