Robinson R44 accident near Wildwood, New Jersey, August 28, 2004
On August 28, 2004 at about 1:50 am local time, a Robinson R44 (helicopter), registered N315SG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wildwood, New Jersey (Cape May County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate visual lookout while conducting a nighttime landing to a dolly, which resulted in a stuck skid, and subsequent hard landing. A factor was the nighttime conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 2004 · about 1:50 am local time
- Place
- Wildwood, New Jersey · Cape May County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R44 · all R44s on the register
- Registration
- N315SG · registry record · serial 1315
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
As the helicopter was being set down onto a dolly during the hours of darkness, it felt unstable, and the pilot elected to abort the landing. As the pilot raised the collective, the helicopter lurched forward and began to spin to the left. The pilot lowered the collective, reduced the throttle, and the helicopter touched down hard onto the ground, spreading the landing skids. Inspection of the dolly, and the landing skids on the helicopter, revealed that the rear portion of the left skid became stuck under metal framework, which was exposed in an open area near the center section of the dolly.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 877 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 750 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 13, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 526 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 15 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WWD Wildwood NJ at 9:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 190° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 1:35 am from WWD
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.