Robinson R66 N4059A

Summary

On 27 March 2026 at about 15:30 local time, a Robinson R66 registered N4059A was involved in an accident near Arlington, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 March 2026 at 15:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Arlington, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Arlington Municipal (GKY)

Coordinates

32.6639, -97.0943

Aircraft

Robinson R66

Registration

N4059A

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2024

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Arlington → Midland

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN26LA153

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from terrain during the hover taxi.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that he had requested flight following from the departure airport control tower. He had lifted off and was conducting a hover taxi along a taxiway as he attempted to enter the assigned transponder code. When he became distracted with the task, the helicopter drifted over the grass area adjacent to the taxiway. The tail of the helicopter inadvertently contacted the grass and the helicopter pitched forward and impacted the ground. The pilot shut down the engine and exited the helicopter with his passenger. The helicopter sustained damage to the tail rotor blades, vertical stabilizer, and landing skids. The pilot noted that entering the transponder code while on the ground before lifting off into the hover would have prevented the distraction and, likely, the accident. According to the pilot, there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter before the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.