Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II accident near Pecos, Texas, July 4, 2025
On July 4, 2025 at about 4:30 pm local time, a 2017 Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, registered N992TP, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (hover) near Pecos, Texas (Pecos Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain aircraft control during gusty wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 2025 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pecos, Texas · Pecos Municipal Airport · 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 2017
- Registration
- N992TP · registry record · serial 14089
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student helicopter pilot stated that during a personal flight, he and a pilot departed the airport, flew to a ranch and returned. The pilot did not hold a flight instructor certificate. Upon return, they flew to the airport fuel facility to obtain fuel. A witness stated that the student pilot told him he was manipulating the flight controls at the time of the accident during a hover taxi and due to gusty wind conditions and not being comfortable, he transferred the flight controls to the pilot. The student pilot stated as the helicopter nearly touched down in front of the fuel facility, a big gust of wind, presumably a whirlwind, shot the helicopter straight up about 20-25 ft, and the helicopter did a quick 360° turn and rolled left before it came crashing down. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail rotor, fuselage, and main rotor. The student pilot stated there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of 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
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering (hover) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Last flight review: October 10, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 209 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 103 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 7, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 664.0 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 15, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming Engines IO-540-AE1A5 (piston); 719 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PEQ Pecos TX at 1:30 pm
- Destination: PEQ Pecos TX
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Observation at 10:55 am from E01, 33 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 CEN25LA237.