Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II accident near Honolulu, Hawaii, August 2, 2014
On August 2, 2014 at about 1:00 am local time, a 2012 Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, registered N110JC, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi near Honolulu, Hawaii (Honolulu International airport). 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 inadequate compensation for the wind conditions and failure to maintain aircraft control during taxi, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness and subsequent impact with the taxiway and a parked fuel truck.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 2, 2014 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Honolulu, Hawaii · Honolulu International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II II, built 2012
- Registration
- N110JC · no longer on the register · serial 13346
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while air-taxiing east about 15 feet above ground level (agl) to parking with adjoining buildings on both sides, which were known for buffeting winds that made it difficult to control the helicopter's yaw, he encountered a strong gust of wind. The helicopter abruptly yawed to the right and he input left pedal control which did not correct the right yaw. The helicopter continued rotating to the right at an increasing speed; full left pedal had no effect. The pilot stated that the helicopter subsequently completed several 360-degree turns to the right, which rendered it completely uncontrollable; he abruptly lowered the collective from about 8 to 10 feet agl to get the helicopter on the ground. During the descent the helicopter's left skid impacted the center of the taxiway, slid toward a fuel truck, and came to rest on its right side. The main rotor blade impacted a fuel truck's windshield. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail boom and the upper and lower cabin/cockpit structure. 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
- Loss of tail rotor effectiveness during taxi defining event
- Loss of control in flight during taxi
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Response/compensation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Prop/rotor parameters › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Ground vehicle › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,088 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 375 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 7, 2013; 77 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 (piston); 375 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I-99 Kaunakakai HI
- Destination: HNL Honolulu HI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,700 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
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.