What: Robinson 44 helicopter
Where: Mudgee Australia
When: Dec 9, 2012
Who: 1 fatality
Why: A 48 year old man on an agricultural flight was flying a Robinson helicopter and crashed in steep and rugged bushland at Grattai in New South Wales. Emergency services responded to the scene at 11:00 a.m.
The pilot is thought to have been spraying for weeds.
The pilot was pronounced dead at the scene. The Australian ATSB is investigating.
What: Tampa Bay Aviation Robinson R22 Helicopter
Where: Bright Bay Court near Beer Can Island. Apollo Beach Florida
When: Nov 29, 2012
Who: 1 fatality
Why: 400 yards offshore, a helicopter crashed just off of Apollo Beach. The off-duty Tampa police officer who witnessed the crash said that the rotors looked like they came off the top of the chopper. Another witness reported an explosion.
Divers recovered the body of 60 year-old John Lawrence Ward of Tampa.
What: ROBINSON R-44 Astro
Where: Lake Nocona, Montague county
When: Sept 30, 2012
Who: 3 injured
Why: Three men were injured when the helicopter #8341W flown by Darren Fenoglio crashed into Lake Nocona. Lake Nocona is 10 miles from Nocona Texas.
The pilot and both passengers, Josh Walterscheid, and Derrick Morse were injured.
The FAA is investigating, and will be recovering the helicopter.
On Sunday, lake area residents assisted in recovering the passengers from the lake. Dr. Kabisch in his kayak was the first emergency responder. Toby Howard also assisted with a pontoon, taking the injured to the beach at Boone Park where more emergency responders were assembled.
Fenoglio, Walterscheid and Morse, were taken to Nocona General Hospital.
What: Golden Fly Taxi Aereo Robinson R-22 Beta II
Where: km 17 of the highway Ayrton Senna, in Guarulhos City, Brazil
When: Sept 24, 2012
Who: 2 aboard
Why: A Robinson 22 helicopter used by “Golden Fly” for training flights made ??a forced landing on September 24. Although at first the Fire Department reported that the plane fell, the report was corrected to be listed as a hard landing. The Fire Department responded with four vehicles and the Military Police (MP) sent a chopper. The two crew members aboard suffered no injuries.
What: AST Africa Trading 348 CC Robinson R44 Raven II
Where: Germiston South Africa
When: Sept 19, 2012
Who: 3 injured, no fatalities
Why: The helicopter crashed for unknown reasons in a field near Rand Airport. The pilot was airlifted to Milpark Hospital with chest injuries. A ER24 Advanced Life Support paramedic escorted a woman with a broken leg to Union hospital in the SAPS medevac; and a man was driven by ambulance to Union hospital.
What: Robinson R-44 en route from Clermont-Ferrand (Puy-de-Dôme) to Le Luc
Where: Valouse
When: Sept 3, 2012
Who: 2 aboard, 2 fatalities
Why: The private helicopter was in France over the Drôme when the blades stopped and it fell. One witness said there was no explosion when it broke up in the air.
When the accident occurred, a father and teenaged son were aboard, headed to Le Luc where the father ran a construction company.
Twenty firefighters, fifteen police and helicopter EMS responded to the scene as well as two Air Base Orange helicopters.
mobilized.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer András Mihalik
What: Robinson R44 helicopter, Austrian registration OE-XKS en route from Augsburg – EDMA, Germany to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Airport- LOWS, Salzburg, Austria
Where: Teisendorf, Germany
When: June 9, 2012
Who: 4 fatalities
Why: Moments after the pilot told ATC he would be making an precautionary landing 15 km from their destination, ATC lost contact with the aircraft, and the helicopter crashed into trees and mountaneous terrain, bursting into flames near Teisendorf, Germany.
The pilot and three passengers on board the helicopter were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The foreign, non-scheduled cross-country flight originated at Worms, Germany, and was en route to Salzburg, Austria.
At 1520, the weather conditions at Salzburg, Austria, 12 miles east-southeast of the accident was wind 200 degrees at 3 knots, few clouds at 500 feet, broken ceiling at 6000 feet, visibility 6 miles, rain, temperature 57 degrees Fahrenheit (F). The German government is investigating.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer András Mihalik
What: Schulter Planungs- und Ausführungs- GmbH Robinson R44 Raven I en route from Augsburg to Salzburg Airport
Where: Teisendorf, southeast Bavaria, Germany
When: June 9, 2012
Who: 4 aboard, 4 fatalities
Why: 15 km away from his destination the pilot of a Robinson R44 Raven reported that he had to perform a precautionary landing, then disappeared from radar screens when he crashed in a forested hillside 200 meters from a farm near Teisendorf, southeast Bavaria. The pilot apparently flew into an area of sudden fog. At the time of the accident, there was low visibility, and there were low hanging clouds.
The chopper pilot had only recently finished training.
The two men and two women aboard were German.
What: Vertical CFI Helicopters Robinson R22 Beta II
Where: Rio Vista California
When: Feb 19 2012
Who: 1 aboard
Why: The helicopter clipped the plane over Rio Vista. The chopper was eight miles from the airport when it crashed.
Although the contact broke off the tail of the chopper and ended the severed rotor up 50 feet from the fuselage, the pilot walked away. She was reported to be unhurt; She is an experienced commercial airplane pilot who was logging night-flying hours alone toward a helicopter license.
IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 7508Y Make/Model: R22 Description: R-22
Date: 02/19/2012 Time: 1844
Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: None Mid Air: Y Missing: N
Damage: Substantial
LOCATION
City: RIO VISTA State: CA Country: US
DESCRIPTION
N7508Y, A ROBINSON R22 HELICOPTER, AND N433JC, A BEECH A33 AIRCRAFT
COLLIDED, NEAR RIO VISTA, CA
INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 0
# Crew: 1 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
OTHER DATA
Activity: Unknown Phase: Unknown Operation: OTHER
FAA FSDO: SACRAMENTO, CA (WP25) Entry date: 02/21/2012
What: Bankstown Helicopter Pty. Ltd. Robinson R44 Raven II
Where: Jaspers Brush Airfield, Berry, NSW, Australia
When: Feb 2, 2012, 3:55 pm
Who: 2 aboard
Why: Taking off, the helicopter was carrying two men scouting locations for a Jervis Bay documentary when the Robinson crashed and caught the field on fire.
Andrew Wight, The fifty year old pilot was from Melbourne, writer-producer of the 3D movie “Sanctum” based on Wight’s near-death experience in an underwater cave.
Mike DeGruy, 60, of Santa Barbara, California, won multiple Emmy and British Academy of Film and Television Arts, or BAFTA, awards for cinematography. He was a specialist in underwater photography.
Four ATSB investigators will be investigating.
A Rural Fire Service (RFS) responded. The cabin of the chopper burned, and sparked a brush fire.
Click to view full size photo at Jetphotos
Contact photographer Cory Watts
What: Cenac Marine Services Robinson R-44 en route from Houma-Terrebonne
Where: Belle Isle
When: January 19, 2012
Who: 2 fatalities
Why: After taking off from Houma-Terrebonne airport, the chopper crashed a few miles from East Bay and the Gulf of Mexico in a marshy area. Flames from the crash were seen from a distance. Hunters and fishermen in the area called 911 to report the helicopter afire. The crash claimed the lives of those aboard. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries assisted along with several agencies with search, rescue, and recovery.
Pilot Jason McKean, and Lanny Ledet had been on the way to an alligator-industry conference in Plaquemines Parish.
Jason McKean had been flying for twenty years. The bodies of the victims were recovered 13 miles southwest of Morgan City.
The cause of the crash is unknown. The FAA is investigating. Tje MTSB saod there was no indication that anything broke off the helicopter before the crash. The final report will not be due for another eighteen months.
IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 369TL Make/Model: R44 Description: R-44 Astro
Date: 01/19/2012 Time: 1555
Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: Fatal Mid Air: N Missing:N
Damage: Unknown
LOCATION
City: BELLE ISLE State: LA Country: US
DESCRIPTION
N369TL ROBINSON R44 ROTORCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE 2
PERSONS ON BOARD WERE FATALLY INJURED, NEAR BELLE ISLE, LA
INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 2
# Crew: 1 Fat: 1 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Pass: 1 Fat: 1 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
WEATHER: 191255Z AUTO 00000KT 9SM OVC018 07/06 A3012
OTHER DATA
Activity: Unknown Phase: Unknown Operation: OTHER
FAA FSDO: BATON ROUGE, LA (SW03) Entry date: 01/20/2012
What: Cenac Marine Services Robinson R44 Raven II
Where: Belle Isle area east of Wax Lake, LA
When: Jan 19, 2012, 7:30 am
Who: 2 aboard
Why: A helicopter flying south of Morgan City crashed into a marsky area east of Wax Lake. Fishermen called 911 when they saw the burning wreckage.
The Cenac Marine Services helicopter crashed at 7:30 am, killing the two aboard.
In St. Mary Parish, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has four boats and six agents engaged in search, rescue and recovery. FAA and National Transportation Safety Board investigators will be arriving ASAP.
What: Rented Robinson R22 recreational chopper
Where: Palm Beach
When: Nov 5, 2011
Who: 1 pilot, 1 passenger
Why: The rented recreational chopper struck palm trees and power lines, then clipped the house, landing in the front yard. No fatalities. The damage to the chopper is described as substantial.
What: Robinson R22 helicopter The chopper had recently been overhauled. 
Where: Garfield
When: June 27, 2011
Who: Steve Titsworth
Why: Steve Titsworth, a retired (30 year) firefighter was flying the Robinson R22 chopper belonging to Don Arsenault when the chopper began falling apart. The propellers split and flew into the river; the rotor fell into the trees; and the rest of the chopper crashed hit a tree about 300 feet south of the river. The wreckage caught fire and was engulfed.
Le R44 Raven II Capitale Hélicoptère
What: Capitale Helicoptere Robinson R44 en route between Quebec City and a small mining camp
Where: Lake Deborah Quebec
When: June 24, 2011
Who: Pilot and passenger
Why: Pilot, Allan Da Encarnacao was flying the two year old Robinson R44 helicopter in a remote area when the chopper crashed in an area with no cell or radio reception. The pilot had been engaged to fly the passenger to the mining camp.
The pilot, who is 25 ,survived the crash and was taken to a Quebec City hospital with serious injuries.
The Capitale Helicoptere flight was near Lake Deborah when the helicopter went down.
The provincial coroner’s office and Quebec provincial police are investigating
What: Wanaka Helicopters Robinson R22 on a training flight from Wanaka to Haast and back
Where: Arawhata Saddle, Wanaka South Island, New Zealand
When: April 27 2011
Who: Pilot instructor and student
Why: The training flight did not return to Wanaka as scheduled at 1:00; it’s last known position was near Bonar Glacier.
The beacon, one of two types aboard, was detected and the helicopter found at 9:00 am Thursday *local time.
Both pilot and student were fatalities, and the wreckage was found near the Olivine Wilderness Area in a stream at the head of the Arawhata River by search teams investigating an area near Mt Aspiring. The search was focused on Bow Peak in the “Waipara Saddle.”
What: Robinson R44
Where: near Cobquecura
When: Jan 23, 2010
Who: Sebastian Pinera President of Chile
Why: A recently released report by Radio Bio Bio said that Sebastian Pinera was flying a helicopter to his house, and a fuel supply problem forced him to land on the highway, that he was picked up by a police helicopter and flown to his house.
The President denies that report, and says instead that he stopped for fuel at a town near Cobquecura. The stop was not an emergency landing at all, that he was having lunch with a friend then heading to his Caburga home.
What: Maritime New Zealand Robinson R22 helicopter on a training mission
Where: Awarua, Southland New Zealand
When: October 14, 2010
Who: instructor and another pilot
Why: After the last communication at 1:30 pm, at 2:15 a Robinson R22 was declared overdue.
A search is underway utilizing three helicopters over a 1250 square kilometre area east of Bluff, including the Coastguard air patrol and Coastguard.
What: 2006 Robinson R44II en route North Palm Beach County airport to Brasstown Valley Resort and Spa in Young Harris
Where: north Georgia mountains
When: Monday evening
Who: pilot Adam Reeves, of Jupiter, Fla and unidentified passenger
Why: The helicopter had been missing since Monday. It was found Friday afternoon by the Civil Air Patrol, having crashed in the N. Georgia mountains in northern Lumpkin County around 2:30 p.m. The search began after relatives of the passengers made inquiries at the airport about a helicopter that had never arrived.
The flight had been due in Blairsville at 7 p.m but had never arrived.
The helicopter refueled in Madison, Ga around 6:30 pm Monday. At some unknown time it left North Palm Beach County.
Reeves was a former U.S. Air Force medic who ran health care and realty companies in Palm Beach County.
Pictured: A Hillsboro Aviation Bell 206B-3 JetRanger III
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Ted Quackenbush
What: Hillsboro Aviation Robinson R22
Where: quarter mile south of the Hillsboro Airport, east of the Washington County Fairgrounds
When: Jun 19th, 2010 8:40 pm
Who: pilot and passenger
Why: On approach to the airport, the pilot lost power and attempted an emergency field landing. The helicopter flipped on landing, but the pilot and passenger were unhurt.
Pictured: Lion Air Robinson Helicopter fleet published on Lion Air Website
What: Lion Air Robinson R44 Raven II helicopter
Where: Jael Subdivision in Barangay Iyam, south of Lucena City, Philippines
When: MAY 17, 2010
Who: 4 aboard the flight, and two or three on the ground including Rowena Navales (14) 7 fatalities in all.
Why: The Lion Air helicopter had just taken off. A scant 300 feet later, the chopper swerved, the propeller stopped spinning, and the helicopter slammed into three houses in a neighborhood 70 miles south of Manila. The fire spread to five houses. There were two or three fatalities on the ground, possibly all children, in addition to those aboard the flight.
Aboard were Quezon Gov. Rafael Nantes,his military escort Master Sergeant Alfred Dominguez, police escort Police Officer Randy Roferez, and the pilot identified as Nestor Sanchez.
The crash is being attributed to mechanical problems.
What: Midwestern Air Services LLC, Robinson R44 II, Raven, four-place, two-bladed, single main rotor, single-engine helicopter en route from Horseshoe Casino Heliport to Kenosha Regional Airport
Where: Kenosha, Wisconsin
When: September 21, 2008
Who: pilot Alan Sapko and passenger Joan Anzalone
Why: The National Transportation Safety Board ruled pilot error. A judge ruled that the pilot’s estate will pay the heirs of Joan Anzalone 1.2 million.
The report of the crash states that the helicopter:
“… was destroyed when it impacted an occupied house and terrain near Kenosha, Wisconsin. A ground fire subsequently occurred. The personal flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 91. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was on file. The private pilot and a passenger were fatally injured. The five occupants in the house were uninjured. The flight originated from the Horseshoe Casino Heliport (2IG3), near Whiting, Indiana, about 0507, and was destined for the Kenosha Regional Airport (ENW), near Kenosha, Wisconsin, when the accident occurred.
According to information provided by Horseshoe Casino, the pilot landed at 1907 on September 20, 2008. The pilot and passenger had dinner, they observed a concert, and gambled. The pilot had a glass of wine with his dinner about 1930. About 0139 on September 21, 2008, a beverage confirmed to be a Captain Morgan’s and diet Coke in a short glass was given to the pilot. About 0146, another Captain Morgan’s and diet Coke in a tall glass was given to the pilot. About 0213, the pilot set the first glass down empty. About 0423, the pilot took a drink from the second drink glass. The glass was about half full. The pilot gambled until about 0449 and then he and his passenger departed for 2IG3. The pilot and passenger departed from 2IG3 about 0507.
A Wisconsin State Patrol Trooper who was outside the weight facility on Interstate 94 at the Illinois and Wisconsin State Line about six miles south of the accident site heard a helicopter heading north at a “very low altitude” and estimated it at 500 feet. He did not see the helicopter or its lights due to the “dense fog.” He stated that the visibility there was about 300 to 500 feet.
A witness who lived near the accident site gave a statement to the Kenosha Police Department. The witness stated that a low flying helicopter was heard. It circled once then went away and came back. The witness saw an orange flash through the window and heard a “boom.” The witness said the helicopter sounded “really low” and the “engine sounded like it was at low RPMs.”
A witness from the occupied house on the northwest corner of 97th Avenue and 70th Street that was impacted by the helicopter gave a statement to the police department. The witness, in part, reported:
My family and I were fast asleep in our residence when I heard and
felt a loud bang like thunder, and then a cloud of debris came
[through] our bedroom door. My wife and I were in the southeast
bedroom. Our two sons were in the northeast bedroom and our
daughter was the bedroom over the garage. We got our kids and
[with] the help of our neighbors made it down the stairs and outside.
None of us were injured. I saw the flames across the street and one
of our neighbors told me a helicopter hit our house.
The pilot held a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) private pilot certificate. He held a FAA third-class medical certificate issued on April 3, 2006, with no limitations. At the time of that medical, he reported 60 hours total flight time to date and 30 hours in the six months prior to that examination. The pilot’s logbook indicated that the pilot had accumulated 329 hours of total flight time. The pilot recorded 37.25 hours of night flight time.
A certified flight instructor (CFI) that instructed the accident pilot indicated that two previous CFIs had instructed the accident pilot and had endorsed the accident pilot for solo flight training operations. According to the CFI, the two previous CFIs believed that the accident pilot was flying in violation of his solo privileges and the CFIs removed the accident pilot’s solo endorsement. The CFI stated that he had no problems with the accident pilot’s training and solo activities.
The accident pilot’s medical certificate and student pilot certificate had a solo endorsement with “revoked” written across it.”
No one in the house was injured.
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Contact photographer Henry Jr Godding
What: Quebec television network TVA Robinson R44 Raven II Traffic helicopter
Where: Montreal, Quebec west of the Victoria Bridge, in the city’s south end 700 metres from Mel’s Studios, which has a helicopter landing strip
When: DEC 16, 2009 7:30 am
Who: pilot Antoine Léger and passenger journalist Réjean Léveillé
Why: TV network helicopter experienced engine problems and mechanical failure over a vacant lot, and crashed while attempting an emergency landing.
The helicopter had been refurbished; and the pilot has 12 years of flying experience.
There was no fire.
The pilot was able to exit on his own; he and the passenger suffered multiple fractures and were taken to Montreal General Hospital.
What: Robinson R44
Where: Moorabbin Airport, Australia
When: Dec 15, 2009, 10am
Who: pilot
Why: Pilot Geoffrey Edelsten was on his first solo, when the helicopter yawed quite violently to the left, to the right and into the ground. He sustained minor cuts.
What: G & S Helicopters Inc. Robinson R22 Beta II
Where: Robbie’s Marina , Indian Key State Park, Islamorada Florida
When: 2:30 p.m. Nov 30 2009
Who: pilot
Why: The pilot made an emergency landing on an island to inspect his plane. When he checked the tail rotor, the helicopter lifted off without him, at which point he tried to get back in but fell. The helicopter continued up about 70 feet before it crashed.
The pilot received doctor’s care for his broken arm, after being rescued by a boat from a local marina.
I’ve heard of people getting out of their car while it was running…But…a helicopter?
