Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II accident near Bradenton, Florida, May 11, 2023
On May 11, 2023 at about 1:27 pm local time, a 2014 Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, registered N62HT, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Bradenton, Florida. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate rotor rpm during landing which resulted in a premature landing on uneven ground and a subsequent rollover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 11, 2023 · about 1:27 pm local time
- Place
- Bradenton, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, built 2014
- Registration
- N62HT · no longer on the register · serial 13709
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the helicopter reported that while he was on approach to land, he attempted to slow his descent by pulling aft on the cyclic and increased the collective pitch. The low rotor rpm horn sounded as he was beginning to hover in ground effect, and he then began to fly forward slowly. At 20 knots, the low rotor rpm horn sounded again, and his altitude increased to 40 ft above ground level. The rotor speed did not recover, and the helicopter descended until it landed on an uneven berm. The helicopter then pitched forward, the main rotor blades impacted the ground, and the helicopter rolled onto its left side. The helicopter’s tail boom was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of 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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Main rotor system › Main rotor blade system › Capability exceeded
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven terrain › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 78.1 hours in all; 78.1 in this make and model; 46.6 in the last 90 days; 7.9 in the last 30 days; 44.1 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 26, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,933.5 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 7, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 (piston); 3,933 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SRQ Sarasota FL at 1:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 am from SRQ, 13 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KSRQ 111353Z 12009KT 10SM CLR 28/20 A3004 RMK AO2 SLP170 T02780200
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on July 7, 2023. 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, 12 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Logbook Excerpt | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo Array_accident Site and Helicopter Damage | 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.