Robinson R44 accident near San Juan Batista, California, October 29, 2009
On October 29, 2009 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Robinson R44 (helicopter), registered N144RF, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near San Juan Batista, California (Private Property 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 failure to maintain adequate clearance from wires while maneuvering and his subsequent improper use of the collective control, which resulted in the main rotor contacting the tail boom.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 29, 2009 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- San Juan Batista, California · Private Property · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R44 UNDESIGNAT · all R44s on the register
- Registration
- N144RF · registry record · serial 1223
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter pilot stated that he was landing in an open field on his property to attend a meeting. Upon arrival at the field, he performed an aerial survey of his intended landing site checking for wires or obstacles. He also evaluated the weather, which was clear with a calm wind. After landing, he noted that the group of people he was meeting with was on the other side of a ditch about 50 yards away, so he decided to hover-taxi closer to their location. As the helicopter traversed over the ditch, the pilot surveyed the area looking for wires and obstacles. Seeing none, he proceeded to make a turn to land. As the pilot initiated the turn, he saw power lines about 40 feet in front of and above the helicopter. He made a quick right turn to avoid the power lines, "but made contact with the tail rotor…." Not knowing the damage to the tail rotor, he lowered the collective and landed as quickly as possible from an altitude of about 8 feet. The pilot stated that, in his urgency to shut down the helicopter, he "dropped the collective very fast," which he stated caused the main rotor blades to impact the tail boom. The pilot also stated that he got out of his normal routine of performing a pre-landing inspection of his intended landing area when he decided to hover-taxi to an alternate location. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical problems 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
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,700 hours in all; 300 in this make and model
- Last flight review: February 16, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 219 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 15, 2009; 12 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lycoming O-540-F1B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Rio Farms
The flight
- Departed from: CIC King City CA at 10:00 pm
- Destination: PVT San Juan Batista CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.