Robinson Helicopter Company R-44 II accident near Toutle, Washington, October 26, 2012
On October 26, 2012 at about 6:30 pm local time, a 2004 Robinson Helicopter Company R-44 II, registered N7530F, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Toutle, Washington. 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 precise altitude control, which resulted in the helicopter entering a settling with power condition while hovering out of ground effect.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 26, 2012 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Toutle, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter Company R-44 II, built 2004
- Registration
- N7530F · no longer on the register · serial 10313
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that he was using a long line to lift harvested evergreen tree boughs from his property on the side of a mountain. The helicopter was hovering out of ground effect, and he was looking outside at ground personnel when the flight controls began to feel "mushy." The pilot stated that the helicopter began "settling with power" and descending. He attempted to turn and fly more directly into the wind but then he heard the low rotor rpm horn. He entered an autorotation to an open area, but, on touchdown, the steep sloping terrain caused the helicopter to slide into trees and come to rest on its right side. The helicopter was hovering out of ground effect, which created a situation conducive to entering a settling with power (vortex ring state) condition, and the pilot needed to maintain precise altitude control to prevent the condition from developing. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Settling with power/vortex ring state during maneuvering defining event
- Autorotation Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 2,200 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,106 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 5, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Toutle WA at 6:30 pm
- Destination: Toutle WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 6:30 pm from WA99, 28 miles away
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.