Robinson Helicopter R44 accident near Hayesville, North Carolina, August 17, 2014
On August 17, 2014 at about 3:30 pm local time, a 2009 Robinson Helicopter R44, registered N752EC, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Hayesville, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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 control of the helicopter, and adequate clearance, which resulted in a collision with a hangar.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 17, 2014 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hayesville, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter R44, built 2009 · all R44s on the register
- Registration
- N752EC · registry record · serial 2028
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, after landing the helicopter in front of a hangar, the helicopter began to rise and tilt. He increased the collective and "over corrected" with the cyclic, which resulted in the main rotor impacting the hangar. The helicopter settled onto the concrete apron and rolled over resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and rotor blades. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with 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
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Roll over during landing (flare/touchdown)
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 › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,850 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 1,850 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 26, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 545 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 13, 2013
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-F1B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Hayesville NC
- Destination: Hayesville NC
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,300 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 3:35 pm from RHP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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 ERA14CA413.