Robinson R44 accident near Rayville, Louisiana, February 4, 2006
On February 4, 2006 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Robinson R44 (helicopter), registered N744MD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rayville, Louisiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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 rotor RPM, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 4, 2006 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Rayville, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R44 · all R44s on the register
- Registration
- N744MD · no longer on the register · serial 0259
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 673-hour private pilot, who reported having accumulated 120 hours in the same make and model helicopter reported that while departing on his third flight of the day, into the wind, when approximately 40-feet above ground level (AGL) the helicopter suddenly "veered" to the right. As the pilot responded by applying full left anti-torque pedal, the low rotor RPM warning horn sounded. The pilot then lowered the collective control and applied aft cyclic control. With the helicopter quickly settling, the pilot pulled-up on the collective control; however, he was not able to arrest the high rate of descent. The helicopter landed hard and managed to remain in the upright position. The pilot and two passengers were uninjured. The pilot reported that at the time of the accident, the temperature was 60 degrees Fahrenheit and the winds were from 300 degrees at 10 knots.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 673 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 673 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,230.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2006; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-FIB5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Rayville LA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from MLU, 6 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.
Other NTSB records under N744MD the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.