Robinson R44 accident near Lihue, Hawaii, November 10, 2018
On November 10, 2018 at about 11:20 pm local time, a 2007 Robinson R44 (helicopter), registered N445KP, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Lihue, Hawaii. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The passenger’s improper decision to hold her cell phone outside the helicopter, which resulted in it departing the helicopter and striking the tail rotor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 10, 2018 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Lihue, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R44 II, built 2007 · all R44s on the register
- Registration
- N445KP · registry record · serial 11693
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, before the helicopter tour flight, he had briefed the passengers, but they still attempted to take cell phones onboard without cases. He then gave the passengers cases and attached them to their wrists. During the flight, while the helicopter was flying about 100 knots, the right-side passenger held her cell phone and case outside of the cabin into the airflow, which resulted in the cell phone and case without the strap exiting the helicopter and subsequently impacting the tail rotor. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail rotor. 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 enroute defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Passenger
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Debris/dirt/foreign object › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,359.1 hours in all; 1,478 in this make and model; 313 in the last 90 days; 103 in the last 30 days; 2,315 as pilot in command; 882.7 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 30, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,473.6 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 24, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 2,260 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 (piston); 4,766 hours total
- Operator: Hawaii Pacific Aviation Inc
The flight
- Departed from: LIH Lihue HI at 11:10 pm
- Destination: LIH Lihue HI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 20 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from PHLI, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on March 11, 2019. 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 Picture | 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.