Robinson R44 accident near St. Cloud, Florida, July 7, 2005
On July 7, 2005, a Robinson R44 (helicopter), registered N90SG, was substantially damaged in an accident near St. Cloud, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot to maintain clearance with a palm tree resulting in the in-flight collision with it, and subsequent uncontrolled descent and in-flight collision with the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 2005
- Place
- St. Cloud, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R44 · all R44s on the register
- Registration
- N90SG · registry record · serial 1265
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that after departure the flight proceeded to his property nearby, then he elected to return to the helipad where the flight departed. Upon approach to the helipad he noted a horse trailer obstructed one side of the helipad and a mowing trailer obstructed the other side of the helipad. He hovered over the top of both then decided to perform a 160 degree pedal turned to the left. He reported that he "lost my focus on a palm tree and consequently struck the tree with [the] tailboom which caused a main rotor strike. Hence the accident."
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: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 110 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-F1B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: St. Cloud FL
- Destination: St. Cloud FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA05CA133.