Robinson Helicopter CO R66 accident near Arlington, Texas, March 27, 2026
On March 27, 2026 at about 3:30 pm local time, a 2024 Robinson Helicopter CO R66, registered N4059A, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (to runway) near Arlington, Texas (Arlington Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from terrain during the hover taxi.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 27, 2026 · about 3:30 pm local time · cases in 2026
- Place
- Arlington, Texas · Arlington Municipal · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter CO R66, built 2024
- Registration
- N4059A · registry record · serial 1314
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he had requested flight following from the departure airport control tower. He had lifted off and was conducting a hover taxi along a taxiway as he attempted to enter the assigned transponder code. When he became distracted with the task, the helicopter drifted over the grass area adjacent to the taxiway. The tail of the helicopter inadvertently contacted the grass and the helicopter pitched forward and impacted the ground. The pilot shut down the engine and exited the helicopter with his passenger. The helicopter sustained damage to the tail rotor blades, vertical stabilizer, and landing skids. The pilot noted that entering the transponder code while on the ground before lifting off into the hover would have prevented the distraction and, likely, the accident. According to the pilot, there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter before the accident.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during taxi (to runway)
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during taxi (to runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Workload management › Task allocation › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,800 hours in all; 275 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 4,700 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 23, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 5, 2025; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,700 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls Royce 250-C300/A1 (turboshaft); 300 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GKY Arlington TX at 3:15 pm
- Destination: MDD Midland TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 12 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.08 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 am from KGKY
Weather report (METAR): METAR KGKY 271453Z 16012G19KT 10SM CLR 22/17 A3008
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 4 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Accident site (Airport manager photo)
Photograph 2 – Accident helicopter (Airport manager photo)
Photograph 3 – Tail rotor / vertical stabilizer (Airport manager photo)
Photograph 4 – Tail rotor / vertical stabilizer (Airport manager photo)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 April 30, 2026. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigation Photos | PDF, 6 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N4059A on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Engine: Rolls Royce 250-C300/A1 355 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Arlington Municipal · nearest airport
- Midland Airpark · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,244 since 1982 · 1,065 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,945 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN26LA153.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.