Robinson Helicopter R44 accident near Cookeville, Tennessee, November 14, 2025
On November 14, 2025 at about 2:14 pm local time, a 2002 Robinson Helicopter R44, registered N668TM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Cookeville, Tennessee. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were 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 an appropriate decent rate during approach, resulting 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
- November 14, 2025 · about 2:14 pm local time
- Place
- Cookeville, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter R44, built 2002 · all R44s on the register
- Registration
- N668TM · registry record · serial 1228
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the helicopter was performing air tour flights from a county fairground. While landing, and performing a pedal turn about 30 ft above ground level, the helicopter began descending at a rate of about 200 ft per minute. As the pilot initiated forward cyclic to position over the landing zone, the helicopter suddenly dropped from an altitude of about 10 to 15 ft, and landed hard on the skids, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the the helicopter that would have prevented 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
- Hard landing during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 191 hours in all; 1.3 in this make and model; 2.7 in the last 90 days; 1.3 in the last 30 days; 112 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 7, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,557 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 31, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-FLB5 (piston); 490 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.24 inHg
- Observation at 8:15 am from SRB, 6 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KSRB 141415Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 09/06 A3024 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Tail rotor fractured off, stored in cabin
Photograph 2 – skid damage, fuselage damagedThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on January 9, 2026. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigative Photos | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | 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.