Robinson R44 accident near Homestead, Florida, March 19, 2005
On March 19, 2005 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Robinson R44 (helicopter), registered N1ZP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Homestead, Florida (Homestead General Aviation airport). It was an instructional 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 CFI's inadequate supervision of the student during the instructional flight for his failure to stop an excessive rate of descent which resulted in a hard landing following a reported loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 19, 2005 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Homestead, Florida · Homestead General Aviation · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R44 · all R44s on the register
- Registration
- N1ZP · registry record · serial 1037
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor stated that the student had performed 11 previous autorotative landings with power recovery on that particular flight, the accident being the 12th. The student initiated the maneuver from an altitude of approximately 500 feet, at an indicated airspeed of between 65-75 knots. He maintained 65 knots during the descent, and when the flight was approximately 75 feet above ground level (agl), he flared. The autorotation continued and when the flight was approximately 20 feet agl at an indicated airspeed of approximately 20 knots, the student added power, but the helicopter yawed to the left. The certified flight instructor (CFI) got on the controls and when the flight was approximately 10 feet agl, and at an indicated airspeed between 10 and 20 knots, he pulled collective but the helicopter impacted on grass right skid low. The helicopter then pivoted 90 degrees to the right, and rolled onto its right side. The student pilot reported that he departed to perform another practice autorotative landing and when the flight was on the downwind leg abeam runway 36, he applied carburetor heat, checked for annunciation lights, and the intended touchdown area. He announced his intentions on the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF), turned base and final, slowed to approximately 70 knots, questioned if the CFI was ready, counted to three, and entered the maneuver at approximately 500 feet. He applied right anti-torque pedal input, aft cyclic control, and maintained approximately 65 to 70 knots during the descent keeping the main rotor rpm at approximately 100 percent. He flared when the flight was approximately 50 to 60 feet, slowed to a walking speed, continued descending, leveled the helicopter, and applied throttle input to recover to a hover. He looked back in the cockpit and noted the CFI grab the controls. The helicopter contacted the grass and rolled onto its right side. He further reported that he did not hear the low rotor warning horn, could not recall if the helicopter yawed when he applied power to recover, and was surprised to see the CFI grab the controls. Postaccident the engine was operated in a test stand with a test club installed; no discrepancies were noted.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: gyroplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,279 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 10,091 as pilot in command; 4,742 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 20, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 68 hours in all; 45 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 923.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 21, 2004; 45.8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-F1B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KTMB Miami FL at 6:55 pm
- Destination: X51 Homestead FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 30,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from KHST
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N1ZP the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.