Robinson R44 accident near Houston, Texas, June 28, 2002
On June 28, 2002 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Robinson R44 (helicopter), registered N144WT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Houston, Texas (West Houston airport). 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 loss of control after encountering dynamic rollover during takeoff. A contributing factor was the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 28, 2002 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · West Houston · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R44 · all R44s on the register
- Registration
- N144WT · registry record · serial 0601
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot "lifted" the helicopter vertically to a 4-5 foot hover and proceeded to make a 10 degree left pedal turn. The pilot applied forward pressure on the cyclic to initiate forward flight and in a "matter of 10'-15', the rear portion of the left skid went down abruptly." The pilot immediately added forward right cyclic to compensate for this action. The helicopter started to level at an altitude of approximately 2-3 feet when it settled "hard" on the front portion of the left skid. The helicopter came to rest upright on its landing skids. A broken tie down chain was found that had been attached to the aft portion of the helicopter skid. The pilot reported that he did not attach the tie down chain to the helicopter.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,800 hours in all; 721 in this make and model; 7,349 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 23, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,335.2 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 5, 2002; 86.8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-F1B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IWS Houston TX at 10:15 am
- Destination: Mandeville LA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,400 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from SGR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.