Robinson R44 accident near Kaneohe, HI
On October 23, 2018, a Robinson R44 (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Kaneohe, HI. 3 people were seriously injured. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- October 23, 2018
- Place
- Kaneohe, HI
- Aircraft
- Robinson R44 · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 0 fatal, 3 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 21.468°N, 157.804°W
- NTSB ID
- 20181023X52955
Official records · WPR19LA013
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
On October 22, 2018, about 1710 Hawaiian standard time, a Robinson R44 helicopter, N4132H, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Kaneohe, Hawaii. The pilot and two passengers were seriously injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 air tour flight. The pilot reported that, about 20 minutes into the flight, he felt himself lose consciousness; moments later, he regained consciousness and control of the helicopter. The pilot turned inland and prepared for a precautionary landing. Seconds later, he lost consciousness again, and was awakened by first responders following the accident. The pilot did not recall the descent or impact, and he remembered that, “before everything went black,” he was in a “dream-like state” during which he was piloting a helicopter and knew he was in an emergency situation, but the nature of the emergency was not clear. The passengers stated in an interview, that they remember the pilot slumping over during the flight, and the front seat passenger grabbing the controls to slow the descent before impacting the sandbar. The helicopter landed on a sandbar in about 2 ft of water and came to rest on its left side. The main rotor mast was bent forward, both skids exhibited impact damage, and the tailboom was bent to one side. The wreckage was relocated the next day to a secured location for examination. The pilot began working for the operator in May 2018 and had not reported any medical problems during that time. The pilot possessed a current second-class Federal Aviation Administrati
Probable cause
The pilot’s sudden incapacitation from an undiagnosed heart condition during flight, which resulted in a hard landing.
More accidents in HI
- Beech 65-A90, Jun 22, 2019
- Piper PA-31-350, Sep 26, 1999
- Boeing 747-122, Feb 24, 1989
- Beech E18S, Apr 23, 1992
- Piper PA-31-350, Dec 24, 1987
Browse: Hawaii · Robinson aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
