Robinson R44 incident near Hamilton Island, Au, January 8, 2023
On January 8, 2023 at about 11:30 am local time, a Robinson R44 (helicopter), registered UNKN, was involved in an incident during approach near Hamilton Island. It was flown under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this incident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 8, 2023 · about 11:30 am local time
- Place
- Hamilton Island, Australia
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Robinson R44 · all R44s on the register
- Registration
- UNKN · no longer on the register · serial 2684
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during approach defining event
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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.