Robinson Helicopter R44 accident near Mokuleia, Hawaii, September 22, 2014
On September 22, 2014 at about 1:00 am local time, a 1997 Robinson Helicopter R44, registered N8375E, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Mokuleia, Hawaii (Dillingham Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were 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 aircraft control during landing with a quartering tailwind, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 22, 2014 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Mokuleia, Hawaii · Dillingham Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter R44, built 1997 · all R44s on the register
- Registration
- N8375E · no longer on the register · serial 0385
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
When the helicopter was inbound to the destination airport, one of the two pilots radioed for the wind information, and was provided a wind direction of 310 degrees at a speed of 10 knots by the Unicom operator. The pilot flew a left traffic pattern for runway 8, which according to the flying pilot, was a "normal approach for winds from the northeast." The pilot planned to land on the compass rose painted just north of the threshold of runway 8. The flight and approach were normal through the turn to the base leg. On short final or in the flare, the helicopter began descending too quickly, and the pilots were unable to arrest the descent before the helicopter struck the ground. The helicopter remained upright; the pilots shut down the helicopter and de-boarded the passengers. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail, tail rotor, tail boom, and fuselage. Although both pilots stated that the helicopter experienced a "settling with power" event, neither pilot could recall the reported winds. The flying 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
- Miscellaneous/other during approach defining event
- Settling with power/vortex ring state during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 21,947 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 19,730 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 19, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 310 hours in all; 310 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 259 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 18, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,059 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 2, 2014; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 SERIES (piston); 2,059 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PHNL Honolulu HI
- Destination: PHDH Mokuleia HI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 9,007 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 10 knots
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 1:00 am from PHDH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| 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.