Robinson R44 II accident near Baltimore, Maryland, November 15, 2006
On November 15, 2006 at about 7:41 pm local time, a Robinson R44 II (helicopter), registered N74548, was substantially damaged in an accident near Baltimore, Maryland. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain control while landing to a trailer, which resulted in a collision with terrain. A factor in the accident was the narrow trailer.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 15, 2006 · about 7:41 pm local time
- Place
- Baltimore, Maryland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R44 II · all R44 IIs on the register
- Registration
- N74548 · no longer on the register · serial 10799
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter approached the trailer, and landed "softly," with the nose canted slightly to the helicopter's right. The helicopter then lifted until it was "light on the skids," and drifted left until the left skid was suspended above the ground, off the left side of the trailer. The helicopter then settled onto the trailer and the left skid "fell' toward the ground. The pilot stated that at that point, one skid felt like it was "a pivot point, it felt like 'dynamic rollover'. I pulled too much collective, it got out of control, and I couldn't recover." The helicopter spun around the aft side of the trailer, and collided with the ground on the right side of the trailer. The pilot said that the flight to the port was uneventful, and that the performance of the helicopter was "good," with no problems noted. Comparisons between the width of the trailer, and the width of the landing gear skids revealed that a landing centered on the trailer left only 9 inches of platform on the outside of each skid. The pilot had accrued about 210 total hours of flight experience, all of which was in helicopters. He had about 100 total hours of experience in make and model, approximately 90 hours of which were in the accident helicopter.
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: 210 hours in all; 100 in this make and model
- Last flight review: February 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 245 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2006; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EZF Fredericksburg VA at 6:30 pm
- Destination: NONE Baltimore MD
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 080° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 7:54 pm from BWI, 10 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.