Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II accident near Hobbs, New Mexico, March 25, 2025
On March 25, 2025 at about 9:55 pm local time, a 2004 Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, registered N7530U, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Hobbs, New Mexico (Lea County Rgnl airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s loss of directional control during a hover, which resulted in an impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 25, 2025 · about 9:55 pm local time
- Place
- Hobbs, New Mexico · Lea County Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II NO SERIES, built 2004
- Registration
- N7530U · registry record · serial 10411
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that the student pilot was on going on a solo flight after being endorsed and completing a dual instruction flight. As the helicopter lifted into a hover, the instructor saw the student jerk the collective and the helicopter spun to the right. The student attempted to recover with cyclic control inputs, but the helicopter dynamically rolled over and impacted terrain. Subsequently, the fuselage and drivetrain sustained substantial damage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane 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
- Dynamic rollover during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (hover)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 91.9 hours in all; 34.6 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,546.8 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 3, 2024; 99 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 3,547 hours total
- Operator: Flap Air Helicopter Service INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 6 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from KHOB
Weather report (METAR): KHOB 252050Z 19006G14KT 10SM CLR 30/M10 A3007
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on July 17, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Flight Instructor Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photo | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR25LA118.