Robinson R44 II accident near Tampa, Florida, April 4, 2019
On April 4, 2019 at about 6:16 pm local time, a 2019 Robinson R44 II (helicopter), registered N4046J, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Tampa, Florida. It was a personal 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
Contamination of and an inadequate bond between the two layers of fabric comprising the helicopter engine's air induction inlet duct, which resulted a partial collapse of the duct, obstruction of the airflow into the engine, and a total loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 4, 2019 · about 6:16 pm local time
- Place
- Tampa, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R44 II No Series, built 2019 · all R44 IIs on the register
- Registration
- N4046J · no longer on the register · serial 14282
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
About 5 days before the accident, the helicopter's engine lost power and the owner performed an off-airport landing to a field. The helicopter was not damaged during the landing, and several days later, maintenance personnel examined the helicopter while still in the field. The mechanics examined the helicopter's fuel system, replaced a fuel servo, and after a successful test run of the engine, the commercial pilot departed with one of the mechanics on board for the accident flight in order to reposition the helicopter from the field to a maintenance facility. About 15 minutes into the flight, the engine lost power, and the pilot performed an autorotation to a roadway. After touchdown, the helicopter slid on the roadway, the main rotor contacted a telephone pole, and a 2.5-ft piece of a main rotor blade separated and impacted a truck driving on the roadway, fatally injuring the passenger and seriously injuring the driver of the truck. Postaccident examination of the helicopter's engine revealed that the air induction inlet duct was partially collapsed. The inner rubberized fabric liner of the duct had partially delaminated and separated from the outer rubberized fabric, obstructing the interior volume of the duct. The wire stiffener between the two layers of fabric was displaced in two locations near the center of the duct length at a 90° bend. Further examination of the duct found a liquid residue in some areas of the duct that was consistent with castor oil, which was normally used in the assembly and curing of the duct during its manufacture. Given this information, it is likely that during the duct's manufacture, castor oil was inadvertently introduced between the duct's two fabric layers, interfering with the bond between the them. It is also likely that the duct then partially collapsed, which restricted airflow to the helicopter's engine and resulted in the losses of engine power that occurred both before and during the accident flight.
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 (total) during enroute defining event
- Autorotation Hard landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during after landing
- Part(s) separation from AC during after landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Misc hardware › Hoses and tubes › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 658 hours in all; 296 in this make and model; 129 in the last 90 days; 57.9 in the last 30 days; 581.7 as pilot in command; 206.1 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 81 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 5, 2019; 81 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 (piston); 81 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Tampa FL at 6:01 pm
- Destination: SRQ Sarasota FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 9,500 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 6:15 pm from KTPF, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
12 documents, released by the NTSB on June 26, 2020. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Witness Statements | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for Record – Telephone Interview, FAA | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | R44 Service Bulletin SB-97 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | R44 Service Bulletin SB-100 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Ad 2019-12-19 | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Investigative Photos | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Wreckage Diagrams | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 9 | Materials Laboratory Factual Report | PDF, 18 pages | View Download |
| 10 | Certification of Parties to the Investigation | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 11 | Evidence Control Form | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 12 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | 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.