Robinson Helicopter Company R44 accident near New Orleans, Louisiana, November 29, 2017
On November 29, 2017 at about 10:30 pm local time, a 2006 Robinson Helicopter Company R44, registered N744WT, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near New Orleans, Louisiana (Lakefront airport). It was a positioning 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
The pilot’s failure to land the helicopter with both skids on the trailer platform, which resulted in a loss of control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 29, 2017 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- New Orleans, Louisiana · Lakefront · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, built 2006
- Registration
- N744WT · no longer on the register · serial 11489
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter pilot reported that, while positioning the helicopter on a trailer for maintenance, the helicopter landed on the trailer with the left skid off the platform, and the tail rotor struck the ground. The pilot added that the helicopter climbed about 50 ft, and he reduced power. During the descent, the main rotor blade struck the tailboom, and the helicopter impacted the pavement. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, tailboom, and main rotor blades. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with 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
- Miscellaneous/other during landing defining event
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering (hover)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (hover)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during maneuvering (hover)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › (general) › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,670 hours in all; 3,200 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 43 in the last 30 days; 4,445 as pilot in command; 2,175 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 4, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NEW New Orleans LA
- Destination: NEW New Orleans LA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from KNEW, 1 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
2 documents, released by the NTSB on January 25, 2018. 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 | Accident Photo (Courtesy of FAA) | 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.