Robinson R44 accident near Lucena City, Philippines, Ph, May 17, 2010
On May 17, 2010 at about 7:15 am local time, a Robinson R44 (helicopter), registered RPC2550, was destroyed in an accident near Lucena City, Philippines. It was a business flight under non-U.S. private rules. 4 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
- May 17, 2010 · about 7:15 am local time
- Place
- Lucena City, Philippines, Philippines · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Robinson R44 II · all R44s on the register
- Registration
- RPC2550 · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · non-U.S. private rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On May 17, 2010, about 0715 Universal Time Coordinated (UTC), a Robinson R-44 II helicopter, RP-C2550, impacted a home in the Jael Subdivision Brgy Iyam, Lucena City, Philippines. The pilot and his three passengers were killed in the accident, along with one individual on the ground. The helicopter, which was owned and operated by the Governor of Quezon Province, was reported as being totally consumed by the post-crash fire. The helicopter, which had a planned destination of Manila Domestic Airport, departed the oval field at the Lucena City National High School, and crashed about one nautical mile upwind from its point of departure. The meteorological conditions have not yet been reported. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of the Philippines, which has not as yet released further details of the accident sequence. This report is for information purposes only, and contains information released by the government of the Philippines. Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Jose R. Saplan Chairman Aircraft Accident Investigation and Inquiry Board (AAIIB) Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines Mia Road Pasay City 1300 Philippines Telephone: 632 8799225 Email: caap.aaiib@gmail.com
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
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Lucena City at 5:15 pm
- Destination: Minila Domestic
- 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 | 3 |
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.