Robinson Helicopter R44 accident near West Palm Beach, Florida, December 9, 2015
On December 9, 2015 at about 1:40 pm local time, a 2000 Robinson Helicopter R44, registered N4427H, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near West Palm Beach, Florida (North Palm Beach County Genera airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing, which resulted in a horizontal rotation of the helicopter, and abnormal runway contact.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 9, 2015 · about 1:40 pm local time
- Place
- West Palm Beach, Florida · North Palm Beach County Genera · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter R44 UNDESIGNAT, built 2000 · all R44s on the register
- Registration
- N4427H · registry record · serial 0923
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student helicopter pilot reported that he conducted eight traffic pattern flights to a full stop on the runway. On his ninth approach, he was at the bottom of the landing transitioning to a hover, and he increased power while simultaneously applying left pedal. He reported that as he entered the hover his airspeed was "close to 5 knots or less" and his altitude was "approximately 5 to 10 feet above ground level," the helicopter began to rapidly yaw to the right, he applied full left pedal, and the helicopter rotated "approximately 450 to 460 degrees." The student pilot reported that the helicopter began to "wobble," he lowered the collective to land, the helicopter bounced once, and then skidded to a stop. A postflight inspection revealed substantial damage to the fuselage and tail boom. The student pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The student pilot reported that the wind was 060 degrees at 3 knots at the accident airport, approximately one hour prior to the accident time. The closest weather reporting station to the accident airport is 12 nautical miles away, and reported that the wind was calm approximately 13 minutes after the accident time.
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 control in flight during landing defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
- Abnormal runway contact during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Rotorcraft flight control › Tail rotor control system › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Yaw control › Not attained/maintained
Dual student
- Certificate: private, student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 126 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 56 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 22 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,587.6 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 19, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540F1 (piston); 3,798 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F45 West Palm Beach FL at 12:45 pm
- Destination: F45 West Palm Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 08L, 3,679 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from KPBI, 12 miles away
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 March 8, 2016. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Student Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photographs (Courtesy of Student Pilot) | PDF, 2 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.