Robinson R44 accident near Ochopee, Florida, January 22, 2008
On January 22, 2008 at about 5:34 pm local time, a Robinson R44 (helicopter), registered N18HB, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Ochopee, Florida (Dade-Collier T And T Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while maneuvering. Contributing to the accident were a tailwind condition and the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 22, 2008 · about 5:34 pm local time
- Place
- Ochopee, Florida · Dade-Collier T And T Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R44 · all R44s on the register
- Registration
- N18HB · registry record · serial 0634
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A witness stated he observed the helicopter at a hover above the grass; north and parallel to the taxiway, short of the runway 27 hold line. The helicopter went up very fast to an altitude of about 200 feet and made a right turn above runway 27, into a tailwind, in a nose down attitude. The tail of the helicopter turned 45 degrees to the left side of the runway. The helicopter made a roll to the left and became inverted. The rotor blades stopped and the helicopter continued the roll to the left until it became right side up, and descended in a nose down, left turn colliding with the ground. The pilot attended factory training for the R22 helicopter, and his instructor stated in the general comments, "Hi time airplane pilot still thinks airplane." Examination of the airframe, flight controls, and engine assembly and accessories revealed no anomalies.
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
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Not specified
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Weather planning › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Contributed to outcome
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 13,000 hours in all; 15 in this make and model
- Last flight review: July 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Crew member
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 6,650 hours in all; 15 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,275 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2007; 95 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-F1B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: KTNT Ochoppe FL at 5:33 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 10,499 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,100 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from KMIA, 33 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N18HB the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 MIA08FA044.