Robinson Helicopter CO R44 II accident near Darwin Aerodrome, Au, August 18, 2017
On August 18, 2017 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Robinson Helicopter CO R44 II, registered VHLGN, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Darwin Aerodrome. No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
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
- August 18, 2017 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Darwin Aerodrome, Australia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter CO R44 II II
- Registration
- VHLGN · no longer on the register · serial 12052
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On August 18, 2017, at 1400 local time, a Robinson R44 II, VH-LGN, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Darwin Aerodrome, Australia. The helicopter was operated under the pertinent civil regulations of the government of Australia. The pilot and three passengers were not injured. The pilot reported that during a descending turn at about 50 knots, the helicopter began to vibrate. He attempted to level out and the vibration became worse. He initiated a forced landing The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Australia. This report is for information purposes only and contains only information released by the Government of Australia. Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) 62 Northbourne Avenue Canberra ACT 2601 Australia Tel: +612 6274 7439 www.atsb.gov.au
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
- Unknown or undetermined during maneuvering defining event
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Helibrook PTY LTD
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 NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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.