Robinson Helicopter R44 accident near Marysville, California, July 13, 2009
On July 13, 2009 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Robinson Helicopter R44, registered N244HP, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Marysville, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from the power line wires.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 13, 2009 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Marysville, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter R44 · all R44s on the register
- Registration
- N244HP · no longer on the register · serial 0427
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported that he was flying the helicopter about 500 feet above the ground and decided to descend to follow a riverbed. While descending to the river, one of the passengers alerted him to the presence of power line wires that obstructed their flight path. The pilot applied full aft cyclic and collective in an attempt to avoid colliding with the wires; however, the tail boom and tail rotor contacted the wires. The impact resulted in the separation of the tail rotor blades and the bottom section of the vertical stabilizer from the helicopter. Following the collision the pilot initiated an autorotation. Upon touchdown, the helicopter bounced and when it touched down again, it was moving sideways to the left and rolled over. The helicopter came to rest on the bank of the river on its left side. Examination of the helicopter revealed substantial damage to the main rotor assembly, the tail rotor assembly, vertical stabilizer, tail boom, and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies with the helicopter prior to the accident.
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
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Autorotation Off-field or emergency landing
- Roll over during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Response/compensation
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,250 hours in all; 105 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: March 15, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,106 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 17 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: AUN Auburn CA at 5:00 pm
- Destination: KAUN Auburn CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from MYV, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.