Robinson R44 accident near Flagstaff, Arizona, July 28, 2006
On July 28, 2006 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Robinson R44 (helicopter), registered N74780, was substantially damaged in an accident near Flagstaff, Arizona (Flagstaff Pulliam Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate preflight planning decision to take off under a low ceiling into an area of mountainous terrain that resulted in an encounter with lowering clouds and forced the pilot to land in unfavorable terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 2006 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Flagstaff, Arizona · Flagstaff Pulliam Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R44 · all R44s on the register
- Registration
- N74780 · no longer on the register · serial 11052
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter collided with trees and rolled over during an emergency landing. About 9 nautical miles south of the departure airport, the pilot encountered a lowering layer of overcast clouds, and was unable to maintain level flight. He performed an autorotation into a clearing from about 100 feet above ground level. The helicopter touched down on a slight incline. The tips of the rotor blades struck the ground and a tree, causing the helicopter to roll over onto its right side. The departing airport Automated Surface Observing System reported that the sky condition at takeoff was 800 feet overcast. Mountainous terrain surrounded the airport.
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; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 87 in this make and model
- Last flight review: January 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 92 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FLG Flagstaff AZ at 12:55 pm
- Destination: DVT Phoenix AZ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 250° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 800 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.28 inHg
- Observation at 12:56 pm from FLG, 9 miles away
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.