Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II accident near Tunica, Mississippi, November 28, 2013
On November 28, 2013 at about 7:00 pm local time, a 2005 Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, registered N44DQ, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Tunica, Mississippi (Tunica Municipal Airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter during the attempted takeoff, and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the student pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 28, 2013 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Tunica, Mississippi · Tunica Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, built 2005
- Registration
- N44DQ · registry record · serial 10821
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and the student pilot were practicing hovering autorotation maneuvers in a helicopter. Following a successful autorotation, and while the helicopter was on the ground with the collective pitch control fully lowered, the pilot told the student, "let's do another one." The flight instructor planned to remind the student pilot to center the anti-torque pedals, as some right pedal was still applied following the preceding autorotation. Before he could do so, the student pilot rapidly increased the engine throttle and the helicopter began yawing to the right. In order to keep the helicopter from sliding along the ground, the student forcefully increased the collective pitch. The helicopter lifted off the ground instantly and the flight instructor advised the student pilot, "I have controls." The student subsequently "locked up on the controls" and inadvertently applied full left anti-torque pedal as he attempted to brace himself. The helicopter yawed rapidly while in the air and the tail of the helicopter struck the ground, resulting in substantial damage. The flight instructor eventually regained control of the helicopter, reduced the throttle to idle, and performed a successful autorotation.
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 on ground during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 369 hours in all; 54 in this make and model; 149 in the last 90 days; 37 in the last 30 days; 300 as pilot in command; 149 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 27, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 38 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,176 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 25, 2013; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Upper Limit Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: UTA Tunica MS
- Destination: UTA Tunica MS
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.45 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from KUTA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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 N44DQ 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.