Robinson Helicopter R44 accident near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, July 24, 2017
On July 24, 2017 at about 5:16 pm local time, a 2002 Robinson Helicopter R44, registered N828RD, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It was an other work-use 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
A loss of available power to the main rotor due to a fractured exhaust pushrod and housing, which allowed engine oil to coat the V-belts. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to continue the tour and his failure to maintain adequate rotor rpm during the landing, 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
- July 24, 2017 · about 5:16 pm local time
- Place
- Myrtle Beach, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter R44 UNDESIGNAT, built 2002 · all R44s on the register
- Registration
- N828RD · registry record · serial 1254
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot and two passengers departed in the helicopter for a commercial air tour flight. The pilot reported that, shortly after takeoff, the helicopter started shaking like a "minor kick," which he thought might be due to a stuck engine valve. He immediately radioed the operator and requested that maintenance personnel meet the flight after the tour ended. He chose to continue the tour and attempted to maintain about 70 knots with the engine operating at 25 inches manifold pressure, which resulted in a descent rate of 300 ft per minute. When the helicopter was near the helipad location, company personnel reported seeing white smoke trailing from the helicopter, and the pilot noted that the alternator light was on. When the pilot started to slow the descent, the low rotor rpm horn sounded, and the engine rpm spiked. After realizing the helicopter would not be able to reach the helipad, the pilot turned the helicopter parallel to the slope of an adjacent field and fully pulled the collective pitch to cushion the landing, but the helicopter landed hard. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the No. 5 cylinder exhaust valve pushrod and housing were fractured, which allowed about 2.5 quarts of engine oil to drain from the engine; the oil had coated the V-belts that transmitted power from the engine to the main rotor system. The pushrod and housing likely failed due to a stuck exhaust valve that occurred at engine startup and then became unstuck once the engine was warmed up. The subsequent release of oil onto the V-belts, of which the pilot was unaware, likely resulted in the V-belts slipping and the main rotor rpm decreasing. A service bulletin recommending a procedure every 300 hours or earlier to determine exhaust valve and guide condition was last accomplished on the helicopter 298.3 hours since overhaul.
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 engine power (partial) during enroute defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during enroute (descent)
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Damaged/degraded
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng oil sys › Damaged/degraded
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Main rotor system › (general) › Damaged/degraded
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Prop/rotor parameters › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,108 hours in all; 530 in this make and model; 280 in the last 90 days; 115 in the last 30 days; 1,046 as pilot in command; 332 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 28, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,498.3 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 6, 2017; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-F1B5 (piston); 1,693 hours total
- Operator: Helicopter Solutions, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: Myrtle Beach SC at 5:10 pm
- Destination: Myrtle Beach SC
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 14 knots, gusting 20
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,900 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from MYR, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
12 documents, released by the NTSB on April 8, 2019. 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, 8 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Initial Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Witness Statements | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Statement from Director of Maintenance | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Excerpts from Engine Maintenance Records | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Weather Reports and Records | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | GPS Plotting of Flight Path and Route | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Report from Party to the Investigation, and FAA Concurring Statement | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Materials Laboratory Factual Report 17-084 | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 10 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 14 pages | View Download |
| 11 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 and Evidence Control Forms | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 12 | Helicopter Accident/incident Supplemental Checklist Per NTSB AS-INT-018 | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.