Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II accident near West Valley City, Utah, January 9, 2009
On January 9, 2009 at about 3:52 am local time, a Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, registered N168SH, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near West Valley City, Utah. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadvertent VFR flight into IMC conditions, which resulted in his spatial disorientation and loss of control of the helicopter. Also causal was the flight instructor’s delay in taking remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 9, 2009 · about 3:52 am local time
- Place
- West Valley City, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II
- Registration
- N168SH · no longer on the register · serial 11658
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and the instructor reported that the flight began as an instrument flight rules (IFR) cross-country training flight. After encountering turbulence and head winds, they elected to terminate the IFR flight plan about 10 miles from their intended destination, reverse course, and return under night visual flight rules (VFR). The instructor stated that on the return trip, he was not instructing the pilot and was "just a passenger." During the return trip, they made an intermediate stop and refueled the helicopter. The weather conditions on departure from the refueling stop were winds light and variable, visibility 4 miles, and ceiling about 2,000 feet above ground level (6,321 feet mean sea level [msl]). About 15 minutes into the flight, the helicopter was at about 6,100 feet msl when it entered clouds and the pilot lost visual contact with the ground. The instructor reported that the pilot "became quickly disoriented losing positive control of the aircraft." The pilot reported that the helicopter entered the clouds and "began to rotate immediately." The flight instructor took the controls and attempted to regain control of the helicopter, but was unable to do so before the helicopter impacted the ground.
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
- VFR encounter with IMC during enroute
- Loss of control in flight during enroute defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Clouds › Effect on personnel
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on personnel
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusio › Spatial disorientation › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 294 hours in all
- Last flight review: February 20, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 209 hours in all; 144 in this make and model; 73 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 151 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 26, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 445 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 24, 2008; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TVY Tooele UT at 3:37 am
- Destination: BTF Bountiful UT
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 310° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 am from SLC, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.