Robinson R44 N74780

Summary

On 28 July 2006 at about 13:00 local time, a Robinson R44 registered N74780, operated by Donald R. Schwartz, was involved in an accident near Flagstaff, Arizona, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 July 2006 at 13:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Flagstaff, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (FLG)

Coordinates

35.0000, -111.5833

Aircraft

Robinson R44

Registration

N74780

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Donald R. Schwartz

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Flagstaff → Phoenix

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Dawn

NTSB number

LAX06LA247

1 person had minor injuries.

the pilot's inadequate preflight planning decision to take off under a low ceiling into an area of mountainous terrain that resulted in an encounter with lowering clouds and forced the pilot to land in unfavorable terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The helicopter collided with trees and rolled over during an emergency landing. About 9 nautical miles south of the departure airport, the pilot encountered a lowering layer of overcast clouds, and was unable to maintain level flight. He performed an autorotation into a clearing from about 100 feet above ground level. The helicopter touched down on a slight incline. The tips of the rotor blades struck the ground and a tree, causing the helicopter to roll over onto its right side. The departing airport Automated Surface Observing System reported that the sky condition at takeoff was 800 feet overcast. Mountainous terrain surrounded the airport.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.