Robinson R44 accident near Drummond, Wisconsin, September 24, 2005
On September 24, 2005 at about 4:05 pm local time, a Robinson R44 (helicopter), registered N9158U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Drummond, Wisconsin. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Clearance not obtained/maintained by the pilot during an unknown phase of flight. Contributing factors were the improper use of procedures by the pilot, the inadequate surveillance of the operation by company/management, and the wire.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 24, 2005 · about 4:05 pm local time
- Place
- Drummond, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R44 · all R44s on the register
- Registration
- N9158U · no longer on the register · serial 0604
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter was being operated for hire providing rides during a festival when it struck a power line over a lake. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. A witness stated that he heard the helicopter for approximately one minute and during that time he heard a pitch change, heard the revolutions per minute increase, and then heard the crash. The power line was at a height approximately equal to the height of the trees surrounding the lake. According to the operator, no safety briefings were given to ride passengers and the helicopter was not shut down when passengers were loaded and unloaded. A previous ride passenger stated that when he arrived on the morning of the accident, there was no safe area delineated around the helicopter and no safety briefing given. This witness stated that the engine was running when the pilot got out of the helicopter in order to secure the passenger's seatbelts. There had been a written complaint regarding the operator when a witness saw the helicopter being operated in a "manner contrary to all safety guidelines outlined in the manufacturer's Safety Course and Special Federal Aviation Regulation 73.1." The owner of the company stated that after that they no longer provided a "wild" ride. Examination of the helicopter's flight control and propulsion system revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Examination of the helicopter’s seat belt buckles revealed fatigue fracture within the buckle, which was later addressed in a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin and the helicopter manufacturer's service bulletin.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 260 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,789.9 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 1, 2005; 78.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Drummond WI at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,600 ft; clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from HYR, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.