Robinson R-44 II accident near Nizhnevartovsk, Ru, March 2, 2008
On March 2, 2008 at about 1:20 pm local time, a Robinson R-44 II (helicopter), registered RA04223, was destroyed in an accident near Nizhnevartovsk. It was a personal flight under non-U.S. private rules. 2 people were killed.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 2, 2008 · about 1:20 pm local time
- Place
- Nizhnevartovsk, Russia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Robinson R-44 II · all R-44 IIs on the register
- Registration
- RA04223 · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · non-U.S. private rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On March 2, 2008, about 1320 universal time coordinated, a Robinson R-44 II, Russian registration RA-04223, was destroyed when it impacted trees and terrain near Nizhnevartovsk, Russia. The pilot and the passenger were fatally injured. The flight was conducted under Russian flight regulations. According to preliminary information provided by the Russian government, the wreckage of the accident helicopter was not located until July 2008. Initial examination of the wreckage revealed that the helicopter impacted a swampy forest area in a nose down, right roll attitude. This investigation is under jurisdiction of the Government of Russia. For further information contact: Interstate Aviation Committee 22/2/1, Bolshaya Ordynka St., Moscow, 119017, Russia Tel: 7 (495) 953-1244 http://www.mak.ru This report is for informational purposes only and only contains information released by, or obtained from, the Government of Russia.
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
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: Tomsk
- Destination: Nizhnevartovsk
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.