Robinson Helicopter Company · Helicopter
Robinson R44
Is the Robinson R44 safe? It ranks Shared rankWithin 1 point of other aircraft types: the difference is not meaningful.More in the glossary of 16 helicopters we rate, with 59 fatal accidents counted in about 8.8 million US flights since 2008.
Likely range 43 to 53
How the score is built
- Fatal accidents
- 59 in 8.8 million flights
6.7 fatal accidents per million flights. Counted: all civil flights in the United States since 2008 (private, charter, air ambulance, utility, training and other), accidents and unexplained losses; not counted: accidents outside the United States or before 2008, military, test and illegal flights, sabotage, hijackings, shoot-downs and deliberate crew acts.
- Full-loss equivalents
- 53.8
Each counted accident adds the share of people on board who died (1 = no survivors). This is what the score is based on.
- Flights flown
- 8.8 million
Estimated flights of all kinds in the United States since 2008. Flights of all kinds in the United States (private, training, charter and other civil use) 2008 to 3 November 2026, each counted from take-off to final landing: the hours of all US piston helicopters in each year (active aircraft and hours from the FAA General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Survey), split between types by US-registered aircraft (FAA register, 1,698 of this type in 2024) times how much each type flies against its class (0.93, mostly from airframe hours in NTSB accident records, partly from hours per aircraft seen by ADS-B receivers in 2019-2022, then matched to the FAA's own hours for this model in 2008-2021), at 0.65 hours per flight from ADS-B tracks: about 366 flights per registered aircraft per year in 2024. Flights and accidents outside the United States, or before 2008, are not used. Against the FAA's hours per helicopter model, this method is off by about 22% on a typical type. Uncertainty roughly ±20%.
- Technology generation
- Piston helicopter
Small fleets are pulled toward the record of the other types of their generation: 4.3 full-loss equivalents per million flights over 9.5 million flights. Weight of this family's own record: 94%.
- Likely range
- 43 to 53
The score is 90% likely to lie in this range, given how few accidents a type has and the error in the estimate of its flights.
- Last fatal accident
- 23 March 2026
Palm Beach Helicopters, Boynton Beach, FL, United States of America: 2 of 2 people on board died.
- Aircraft destroyed
- 39
Aircraft the NTSB coded as destroyed in an accident in the United States since 2008, fatal or not, from all causes. The NTSB codes many wrecks as only substantially damaged, so the real number is higher (context only, not in the score).
Compared with everyday risks
One flight on the Robinson R44 carries about the same risk of death as the activities near it below.
- An hour's walk1 in 14 million
- Driving 100 miles (160 km)1 in 5.9 million
- An ordinary day: accidents and violence1 in 1 million
- A day of skiing1 in 830,000
- A scuba dive1 in 500,000
- Cycling 100 miles (160 km)1 in 430,000
- Running a marathon1 in 290,000
- A skydive1 in 250,000
- One flight on the Robinson R44This aircraft1 in 170,000
- A general anaesthetic1 in 100,000
- Riding a motorbike 100 miles (160 km)1 in 83,000
Accident history
59 fatal accidents in the United States since 2008 count toward the score, with 104 people on board killed.
| Date | Flight | Killed | What happened |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Beach HelicoptersRobinson R44 · Boynton Beach, FL, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On a training flight from Lantana, Florida, the instructor radioed that something was wrong and they would land in a field; the R44 turned steeply nose-down and crashed into a vacant warehouse at Boynton Beach. Both died. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| PrivateRobinson R44 II · Miami, TX, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | A student pilot set off in fog from his home near Miami, Texas, for Amarillo; a witness saw the R44 flying very low, climbing nose-low and then descending fast into a pasture, where it exploded. He died. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| PrivateRobinson R44 · Danville, VA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | After cutting short a sightseeing flight in fog and dropping off his passengers near Danville, Virginia, the pilot landed at a store, then took off again; the R44 vanished into the fog and hit a residential lot. He died. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| Holt Helicopters IncRobinson R44 · Uvalde, TX, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On a low deer survey over a ranch near Uvalde, Texas, the R44 crashed in brush and cactus; the pilot and the ranch passenger died. The upper clevis of a hydraulic servo was found separated. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| Savant Aviation LLCRobinson R44 II · Iowa, LA, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | Leaving a field by a restaurant near Lake Charles, Louisiana, after dark, the pilot, with about 15 hours of night flying, made several irregular turns while descending; the R44 hit a tree-lined road near Iowa. All three on board died. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| National Helicopter Solutions, LLCRobinson R44 · Houston, TX, United States of America | 4 killed / 4 on board | On a night sightseeing tour over Houston, the R44 hit a lit radio tower; the pilot and three passengers died. NTSB: the pilot did not keep clear of the tower, and the controller did not warn her that she was too close to it.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| Ali’i Air ToursRobinson R44 · Kekaha, HI, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | On an air tour near Kekaha, Kauai, in strong gusty wind, the R44 met a sudden downdraft; the mast bumped and it broke up and fell into the sea. The pilot and two passengers died. NTSB: turbulence from downdraft winds.Type: TurbulenceNTSB docket | |
| PrivateRobinson R44 II · Bluestem, WA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Flying the R44 home after maintenance, the pilot and a pilot-rated passenger were cruising near Bluestem, Washington, when it descended; the main rotor cut the tail and it crashed. Both died. NTSB: poor rotor rpm control in an autorotation after an unexplained power loss.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Baton Rouge Police DepartmentRobinson R44 II · Port Allen, LA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Launched at 2:30 am under low cloud to support a police car chase, the Baton Rouge Police R44 went out of control near Port Allen, Louisiana, and crashed; the pilot and the tactical flight officer died. NTSB: continued VFR flight into worse weather and disorientation.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateRobinson R44 · Port O'connor, TX, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Taking off at night in thick fog from a road by his home at Port O'Connor, Texas, the pilot, not rated for instrument flight, lost control of the R44 and it crashed and burned; both on board died. NTSB: disorientation; flicker vertigo contributed.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Total Traffic & Weather NetworkRobinson R44 · Charlotte, NC, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On a video training flight for a TV meteorologist over a mock news scene in Charlotte, North Carolina, the R44 went out of control in an orbit and hit the ground by an interstate; both on board died. NTSB: control rod hardware came loose after poor inspections.Type: System failureNTSB docket | |
| Aerial AG Services LLCRobinson R44 II · Blackwell, TX, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Spraying near Blackwell, Texas, the R44 hit power lines near the top of a mesquite grove and was destroyed; the pilot died. NTSB: he did not keep a safe height and clearance on the low pass.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| Sky Helicopters IncRobinson R44 · Rowlett, TX, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | During a lesson on vortex ring state at about 2,000 ft near Rowlett, Texas, the R44's main rotor hit the tail boom, a section broke off and it spiralled down; the instructor and the trainee died. NTSB: loss of control while manoeuvring.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateRobinson R44 II · Bronson, FL, United States of America | 4 killed / 4 on board | The pilot, not rated for instrument flight, took off at night with three passengers into an area of dense fog near Bronson, Florida; the R44 hit woods 2.5 miles away and all four died. NTSB: disorientation after a poor decision to fly VFR into known fog.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Lyfted LLCRobinson R44 II · Cosby, TN, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | Warned about the Smoky Mountains in instrument weather, the pilot called them hills and set off in the newly leased R44; near Cosby, Tennessee, it hit trees. His passenger died and he was badly hurt. NTSB: intentional flight into cloud and loss of control.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateRobinson R44 II · Cornwall, NY, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Flying home along a river valley under a lowering ceiling, the pilot, not rated for instrument flight, met rain near Storm King Mountain, Cornwall, New York; the R44 climbed, went out of control and crashed. He died. NTSB: continued flight into worse weather and disorientation.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Skyhawk AviationRobinson R44 · Elgin, MN, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Spraying a cornfield near Elgin, Minnesota, the pilot flew the R44 under power lines on the third pass; a main rotor blade struck a line and it fell and crashed. He died. NTSB: his decision to fly under the lines.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateRobinson R44 II · Point Harbor, NC, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Flying on from a fuel stop over Albemarle Sound, North Carolina, the owner, who held no pilot certificate, continued into cloud and hit the water at high speed; he and his passenger died. NTSB: disorientation; his instructor had wrongly signed him off for solo.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Kritter Cropdusting IncRobinson R44 · Wingate, NC, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On the third spray pass over a field near Monroe, North Carolina, the R44 descended toward a power line it had climbed over on earlier passes; the tail rotor hit it and it crashed. The pilot died. NTSB: no clearance from the line.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateRobinson R44 · Forkston, PA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Flying after sunset near Forkston, Pennsylvania, the owner, not rated for instrument flight, met snow showers; the R44 went into a right descending turn and crashed in woods. He died. NTSB: poor weather planning, then night cloud and disorientation.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateRobinson R44 · Colorado City, TX, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Herding cattle near Colorado City, Texas, the R44 broke up in flight at low height when its rotor struck the cabin; both on board died. NTSB: the pilot exceeded the helicopter's limits; impairment from cannabis contributed.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Ride The Sky HelicoptersRobinson R44 II · Audubon, IA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On a low raptor survey near Audubon, Iowa, the R44 hit power lines about 85 ft up while turning toward the sun; both on board died. NTSB: the pilot did not see the line; fatigue after a 10-hour day of short flights contributed.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateRobinson R44 · Las Vegas, NV, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Returning along a road to North Las Vegas Airport on a rented personal flight, the pilot autorotated the R44 onto uneven ground after an unknown problem in flight; he and his passenger survived the impact but died later. The NTSB could not determine what happened.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| Pacific Helicopters LLCRobinson R44 · Hayward, CA, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | During hover practice on a helicopter taxiway at Hayward, California, the training R44 drifted over grass, moved quickly forward and hit the ground; the instructor died and the student was badly hurt. The NTSB could not determine why control was lost.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| D & C Aviation LLCRobinson R44 · Cass, AR, United States of America | 3 killed / 4 on board | On a sightseeing flight from a music festival near Cass, Arkansas, the R44 lost engine power and came down in dense woods; the pilot and two passengers died and one passenger survived. There was fuel on board and no fault was found; the NTSB could not determine why.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateRobinson R44 · Alpine, UT, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Climbing to about 13,000 ft above clouds near Alpine, Utah, the pilot, not rated for instrument flight, lost control of the R44 and crashed; both on board died. NTSB: VFR flight into cloud and disorientation, with hypoxia and amphetamine use contributing.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Novictor Aviation LLCRobinson R44 · Kailua, HI, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | On a Part 135 island tour in worsening visibility near Kailua, Hawaii, the Novictor R44 met a strong downdraft at too high a speed; the rotor flapped into the cabin and it broke up. The pilot and two passengers died.Type: TurbulenceNTSB docket | |
| PrivateRobinson R44 · Williamsburg, VA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Flying home after a meeting, the 85-year-old pilot, who had Parkinson's disease, was cruising near Williamsburg, Virginia, when it went into a right descending turn and hit a condominium roof; he died. NTSB: his impaired mental and physical abilities led to the loss of control.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| MF Helicopters LLCRobinson R44 · Oshkosh, WI, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | After dropping off the photographer from a boat-race photo flight, the pilot flew the R44 low over the Fox River at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, toward a fuel stop; it hit unmarked wires about 100 ft up and fell into the river. He died. NTSB: low flight and no clearance from the wires.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateRobinson R44 · Newport Beach, CA, United States of America | 3 killed / 4 on board | Overweight by 76 lb with four on board, the R44 took off nose-low near Newport Beach, California, reached 500 ft and dropped into homes; three died and one passenger survived. NTSB: no weight and balance check, then loss of control.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Mauna Loa HelicoptersRobinson R44 · Molokai, HI, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On a night instrument training flight between Hawaiian islands, the R44 vanished after a practice approach and missed approach near Molokai; both pilots died. The wreck was found a year later at 298 ft. The NTSB could not determine why it went into the sea.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| PrivateRobinson R44 II · Dimmitt, TX, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Checking crop fields and business sites near Farwell, Texas, the owner, who held no helicopter rating, crashed the R44 in a field while turning at low level; he died. NTSB: a heart rhythm problem from earlier heart attacks incapacitated him.Type: OtherNTSB docket | |
| PrivateRobinson R44 II · Jonesboro, AR, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | After drinking, the pilot said he would put on an airshow and lifted the R44 off backward at Jonesboro, Arkansas; the tail hit the ground, it spun and crashed in flames. He died. NTSB: loss of control; impairment from alcohol and a sedating antihistamine.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateRobinson R44 · Canadensis, PA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Climbing over rising ground in poor weather near Hawley, Pennsylvania, the pilot, not rated for instrument flight in helicopters, entered cloud, lost control of the R44 and crashed; he died. NTSB: spatial disorientation.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateRobinson R44 II · Orlando, FL, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | Five minutes after leaving Orlando Executive, the pilot asked to return; the R44 hit trees, power lines and a house, and all three on board died. NTSB: loss of control after a swashplate control tube bolt very likely came loose; the repair had not been logged.Type: System failureNTSB docket | |
| Advanced Helicopter Concepts, IncRobinson R44 II · Frederick, MD, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | In the traffic pattern at Frederick, Maryland, the training R44 collided with a Cirrus SR22; the helicopter fell and its three occupants died, while the Cirrus came down under its parachute and its two occupants lived. NTSB: poor lookout by both crews; wrong pattern heights.Type: Mid-air collisionNTSB docket | |
| Johnson Helicopter ServicesRobinson R44 II · Macedonia, IA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Flying between fields while spraying crops near Macedonia, Iowa, the R44 hit a thin static line strung below larger power lines and crashed; the pilot died. NTSB: inadequate lookout.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| Global Positioning Services IncRobinson R44 II · Chugiak, AK, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Back from practice flights with a long line and a weighted barrel, the pilot was about to land the R44 at Birchwood, Alaska, when it went out of control and crashed; he died. NTSB: impairment or incapacitation from a sudden heart event.Type: OtherNTSB docket | |
| Tallahassee Helicopters, Inc.Robinson R44 II · Panacea, FL, United States of America | 2 killed / 3 on board | Taking off at night from Wakulla County Airport, Florida, after dinner, the R44 hit 50-ft trees about 350 ft from where it lifted off; two of the three on board died. NTSB: no clearance from the trees; little recent night experience contributed.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateRobinson R44 II · Caballo, NM, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | Leaving a hover near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, in dust raised by its own rotor, the R44 hit two power lines and the ground; all three on board died. NTSB: the dust hid the lines from the pilot.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| Unknown operatorRobinson R44 II · Thompson Falls, MT, United States of America | 1 killed / 3 on board | Following a line of utility poles on a survey flight near Thompson Falls, Montana, with a tailwind, the R44 began to spin and hit forest; the pilot died and the two passengers survived. NTSB: loss of control in conditions for a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Lucas Oil Products IncRobinson R44 II · Cross Timbers, MO, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On an aerial tour near Cross Timbers, Missouri, the Lucas Oil R44 hit a power line about 65 ft above the ground and crashed in woods; both on board died and the wreck was found the next day. NTSB: the pilot did not see the line in time.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| Law Offices OF James C Bechler PCRobinson R44 II · Corona, CA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | After refuelling under a metal canopy at Corona, California, the pilot lifted the R44 off and turned at once; the rotor blades hit the canopy, it flailed about, then caught fire. He died. NTSB: he did not keep the blades clear of the canopy.Type: Ground collisionNTSB docket | |
| Veracity Aviation, LLCRobinson R44 II · Blanco, TX, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | On a night cross-country flight in marginal weather about 20 miles southeast of Fredericksburg, the R44 turned, climbed and slowed, then hit rising ground; all three died. NTSB: spatial disorientation on a dark night. The FAA had barred the pilot from medical certification.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Dragonfly Aviation, LLCRobinson R44 II · East Wenatchee, WA, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | Drying cherries at low level near East Wenatchee, Washington, the R44 made a steep left turn near power lines; the rotor hit the lines and it fell into a tree. One of the two on board died and the pilot was badly hurt. NTSB: he did not watch for and avoid the lines.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| Cenac Marine Services, LLCRobinson R44 II · Centerville, LA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Circling low over the Belle Isle salt dome south of Centerville, Louisiana, the R44 settled with power, struck trees and fell nose-down; both on board died. No mechanical fault was found. NTSB: the pilot let it settle with power at low height.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateRobinson R44 II · Hackensack, MN, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | Hovering low over Ten Mile Lake near Hackensack, Minnesota, on a dark night before landing at home, the R44 suddenly yawed right after a flash and went into the water; the pilot died and his passenger survived. The NTSB could not find why.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateRobinson R44 · Curren, MI, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | With no weather briefing, the pilot, not rated for instrument flight, flew the R44 in and out of low cloud and rain near treetop height in Caledonia Township, Michigan, and hit trees; both on board died. NTSB: continued flight into cloud, with drug impairment contributing.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateRobinson R44 II · Rising Sun, IN, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Telling the controller he was meeting too much cloud, the pilot, not rated for instrument flight, descended; the R44 then hit trees on a ridge near Rising Sun, Indiana, and he died. NTSB: continued VFR flight into cloud, spatial disorientation and no terrain clearance.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| Penn Helicopter LLCRobinson R44 II · Indiana, PA, United States of America | 1 killed / 4 on board | Following police cars with a three-person film crew over Indiana, Pennsylvania, the pilot hovered and turned the R44 at low airspeed; it lost tail rotor authority, spun and hit a building. One of the four on board died. NTSB: operation at low airspeed out of ground effect.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateRobinson R44 II · Blairsville, GA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Flying to a resort in north Georgia, the private pilot, not rated for instrument flight, continued into cloud and flew the R44 into Blood Mountain; he and his passenger died. NTSB: continued visual flight into instrument conditions.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| Forest Tech LLCRobinson R44 · Marion, KY, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Spraying a corn field near Marion, Kentucky, the R44 struck a guy wire of a power line, hit the ground and burst into flames; the pilot died. NTSB: he did not keep clear of the power lines.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| Bering Pacific Ranches LtdRobinson R44 · Unalaska, AK, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | At a cattle ranch about 62 miles southwest of Unalaska in Alaska, the R44 caught a skid as it left after dropping off two workers for a cattle count, and hit the ground; the pilot, alone, died. NTSB: unsafe manoeuvring at low height.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| Webb GroupRobinson R44 · Jackson, MS, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | On a proficiency flight by an FAA inspector with a new colleague, the R44 sank at about 2,400 ft a minute on the downwind leg at Jackson, Michigan, and hit trees; one of the two died. NTSB: low main rotor rpm for undetermined reasons.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Noble Aviation LLCRobinson R-44 · Gallatin, TN, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On a solo night training flight toward Nashville, the R44 descended into the Cumberland River at Gallatin, Tennessee; the pilot died. NTSB: he let it descend into the water without noticing, on a dark night with few visual references.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateRobinson R44 II · Kenosha, WI, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Flying at night in cloud from a casino heliport toward Kenosha, Wisconsin, the private pilot flew the R44 into an occupied house; he and his passenger died, and the five people in the house were unhurt. NTSB: no clearance from terrain; night IMC and his inexperience contributed.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| Central Illinois Air CorpRobinson R44 II · Ridgedale, MO, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Delivering a new R44 from California to Illinois, two pilots were cruising at 700 to 1,000 ft near Ridgedale, Missouri, when it suddenly dived into trees and burned; both died. The NTSB could not determine why control was lost.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateRobinson R44 · Bartlett, TX, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | Taking off from a private field near Bartlett, Texas, the R44's tail rotor hit an embankment; it crashed and burned. The owner-pilot walked away, but his passenger died of burns two weeks later. NTSB: he did not keep the tail rotor clear of the bank.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateRobinson R44 · Ochopee, FL, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Practising takeoffs and landings over the runway at Dade-Collier airport near Ochopee, Florida, the pilot lost control of the R44 and it hit the ground; both on board died. NTSB: loss of control, with a tailwind and poor in-flight decisions contributing.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket |
Listed but not counted
These events happened on military, test or illegal flights, or were caused by a crime or a deliberate act, which says little about the aircraft design.
| Date | Flight | Killed | Why not counted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native Range Inc.Robinson R44 · Bountiful, UT, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Test flight. On a test flight to track and balance reworked rotor blades near Bountiful, Utah, a pitch link came loose; the rotor and tail separated and the R44 hit a building roof. Both on board died. NTSB: the pilot, also the mechanic, had not secured the pitch link hardware.Type: System failureNTSB docket | |
| Bravo Helicopters LLCRobinson R44 · Miami, FL, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Test flight. On a maintenance test flight after a main rotor blade change, near Kendall-Tamiami airport in Miami, a pitch link came loose; a blade struck the tail, the R44 rolled over and crashed. Both on board died. NTSB: the mechanic had not secured it, under pressure from the owner.Type: System failureNTSB docket |
The R44 does a bit of everything in the US: owners travel in it, schools train in it, tour firms sell seats in it, and it sprays crops, patrols for police and flies for TV stations. Up to 28 October 2026, 59 fatal US accidents since 2008 count toward its score, with 104 deaths. Per flight that is among the weaker records of the helicopters we rate, behind the smaller Robinson R22 and ahead of only the MD 500 and the turbine Robinson R66, but most of these crashes began with weather, wires or darkness, not with the helicopter.
What kind of helicopter is the R44?
A four-seat piston helicopter, first flown in 1990 and in service since 1993. Robinson has built about 7,400; 1,792 were on the US register in 2026 in our count. The Raven I has a carburetted Lycoming engine, the Raven II a fuel-injected one. Like the R22, its two-blade teetering rotor needs a quick response to an engine failure and can strike the mast in low-G flight or a strong downdraft. Its pilots need the FAA's special Robinson training (SFAR 73).
How we count it
The score sets fatal US accidents since 2008 from the NTSB database (accidents in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands are outside the scope) against about 8.8 million US flights, from take-off to final landing, estimated from the FAA register and General Aviation survey. Each type's share of its class's flights follows its registered aircraft and how much that type flies, mostly from airframe hours in NTSB accident records and partly from hours per aircraft seen by ADS-B receivers from 2019 to 2022. For R44s that is then matched to the FAA's own hours for the model (FAA Table MM.1, 2008 to 2021), which run about 50% above those two measures. R44s flew about as many flights per aircraft as the average piston helicopter, and somewhat fewer than the training R22. Every helicopter scores far lower than an airliner, because each flight carries far more risk.
Weather and night: the largest group
Of the 59, 45 were private and other flights, 7 training (the latest at Boynton Beach, Florida, on 23 March 2026, with no cause published yet), 4 air tours and 3 ferry flights. In 14, the NTSB found that the pilot flew on into cloud, fog or bad weather, often at night. At least nine of those pilots had no instrument rating, and one held no pilot certificate at all. Near Blood Mountain, Georgia, on 2 August 2010, a private pilot continued into cloud and hit the mountain. A Baton Rouge Police R44 went out of control under low cloud near Port Allen, Louisiana, on 26 March 2023, killing the pilot and the tactical flight officer.
Wires, tours and maintenance
Ten R44s hit power lines or guy wires, six of them while spraying or drying crops. A night tour over Houston hit a lit radio tower on 20 October 2024, killing all four.
Two of the other three air tours were in Hawaii, where sudden downdrafts made the rotor strike the cabin or the mast: at Kailua, Oahu, on 29 April 2019, and off Kekaha, Kauai, on 11 July 2024. Three died each time.
In two crashes, the NTSB found control hardware loose after maintenance or inspection lapses: Orlando, Florida, on 22 March 2015, and Charlotte, North Carolina, on 22 November 2022. Two more pitch-link failures, in 2013 and 2014, were maintenance test flights and are listed but not counted.
Before you book a ride or a tour
- Tours. Ask whether the operator flies under Part 135 or Part 91 with an FAA letter of authorisation, and look up its N-numbers in the NTSB CAROL database. Ask when it cancels for wind and low cloud, and on a doors-off flight, who checks your harness.
- Weight. Give your real weight. An R44 that took off 76 lb overweight with four on board near Newport Beach, California, on 30 January 2018, fell into homes; three died.
- Private rides. The R44 is a visual-flight helicopter. Ask the pilot what weather keeps them on the ground, and how much they have flown at night recently.
- Owners. Robinson asked owners of R44s with older all-aluminium fuel tanks to fit bladder-type tanks, which resist a post-crash fire better, by 30 April 2013 (Service Bulletin SB-78B). Check that it was done.
How to tell if you are on one
Flight trackers show R44. It has four seats in two rows. The five-seat turbine Robinson R66 looks similar; the helicopter ranking compares them all.
Questions people ask
Is the Robinson R44 safe?
Its US record per flight since 2008 is level with the Enstrom F-28, just behind the Schweizer 300 and behind the smaller R22; of the helicopters we rate, only the MD 500 and the R66 score lower. Few official findings point to the helicopter itself: most fatal accidents began with a visual-only pilot flying into cloud, fog or a dark night, or with a wire strike at low level.
Is it safe to take a helicopter tour in an R44?
Four of the 59 fatal US accidents we count since 2008 were air tours: two in Hawaii, where sudden downdrafts made the rotor strike the cabin or the mast, one at night over Houston, and one in Arkansas after an engine power loss the NTSB could not explain. Choose an operator that flies under Part 135, cancels in strong wind or poor visibility, and asks for your real weight.
How many Robinson R44 crashes have there been in the US?
Our data counts 59 fatal R44 accidents in the United States from 2008 up to 28 October 2026, with 104 deaths. Two more, both maintenance test flights, are listed but not counted. Two others, on helicopters registered to trustees, are outside the count, because the register data we use for flights leaves such aircraft out.
Why do so many Robinson helicopters crash?
Partly because there are many of them: the US register held about 1,800 R44s in 2026. In the US records, weather, wires and low-level work cause more fatal R44 accidents than the aircraft itself. The two-blade rotor does demand care in low-G flight and turbulence.
What is mast bumping on a Robinson?
The R44's two-blade rotor is hinged in the middle like a seesaw. In low-G flight, after an abrupt push on the stick, or in a strong downdraft, it can tilt far enough to hit the rotor mast, which can break the rotor off. Pilots are trained to avoid low-G and to slow down in turbulence.
Sources
- 1.NTSB docket: Robinson R44 II, Blairsville, Georgia, 2 August 2010 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 2.NTSB docket: Robinson R44 II, Port Allen, Louisiana, 26 March 2023 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 3.NTSB docket: Robinson R44, Kailua, Hawaii, 29 April 2019 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 4.NTSB docket: Robinson R44, Cass, Arkansas, 2 June 2019 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 5.NTSB docket: Robinson R44, Kekaha, Hawaii, 11 July 2024 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 6.NTSB docket: Robinson R44, Houston, Texas, 20 October 2024 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 7.NTSB docket: Robinson R44 II, Orlando, Florida, 22 March 2015 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 8.NTSB docket: Robinson R44, Charlotte, North Carolina, 22 November 2022 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 9.NTSB docket: Robinson R44, Newport Beach, California, 30 January 2018 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 10.NTSB docket: Robinson R44, Boynton Beach, Florida, 23 March 2026 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 11.SafetyScorer exposure model: FAA aircraft register, FAA General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Survey, OpenSky ADS-B, NTSB airframe hours (opens in a new tab)Flights of all kinds in the United States (private, training, charter and other civil use) 2008 to 3 November 2026, each counted from take-off to final landing: the hours of all US piston helicopters in each year (active aircraft and hours from the FAA General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Survey), split between types by US-registered aircraft (FAA register, 1,698 of this type in 2024) times how much each type flies against its class (0.93, mostly from airframe hours in NTSB accident records, partly from hours per aircraft seen by ADS-B receivers in 2019-2022, then matched to the FAA's own hours for this model in 2008-2021), at 0.65 hours per flight from ADS-B tracks: about 366 flights per registered aircraft per year in 2024. Flights and accidents outside the United States, or before 2008, are not used. Against the FAA's hours per helicopter model, this method is off by about 22% on a typical type. Uncertainty roughly ±20%.