Recent Accidents & Incidents

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The rotorcraft accidents and incidents listed below occurred from Jul 1, 2021, to Oct. 31, 2021.

The accident details shown are preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. All information was obtained through the official websites included below, where you can learn more details about each event.

Australia – Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB)

United StatesNational Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

July 2021

Bell 212

Weed, CA, USA
Jul. 7, 2021 | NTSB WPR21LA268
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | External-load flight
Pilot reported vibrations during water-bucket retrieval before helicopter settled into water for undetermined reasons.

Robinson R44

Mikołajki, Poland
Jul. 7, 2021 | NTSB GAA21WA166
Injuries unknown, fatalities unknown | Flight type unknown
No description available.

Bell 206L-3

Berlin, IL, USA
Jul. 9, 2021 | NTSB CEN21LA432
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Agricultural flight
No description available.

Bell 412

Ejea de los Caballeros, Spain
Jul. 11, 2021 | NTSB GAA21WA171
Injuries unknown, fatalities unknown | Flight type unknown
No description available.

Sikorsky / S92

South Havra, Scotland
Jul. 15, 2021 | NTSB GAA21WA193
Injuries unknown, fatalities unknown | Flight type unknown
No description available.

Robinson R44

Lewisburg, KY, USA
Jul. 16, 2021 | NTSB ERA21LA292
2 injuries, 0 fatalities | Agricultural flight
Heavily loaded helicopter experienced low rotor rpm after takeoff, landed hard, and rolled over.

Robinson R44

Elgin, MN, USA
Jul. 19, 2021 | NTSB CEN21FA330
0 injuries, 1 fatality | Agricultural flight
Helicopter struck a power line, impacted terrain, and was destroyed following a post-crash fire.

Robinson R44

Point Harbor, NC, USA
Jul. 19, 2021 | NTSB ERA21LA295
0 injuries, 2 fatalities | Personal flight
Helicopter completed off-airport landing before resuming flight and impacting the water. Marginal weather conditions were reported in the area.

Robinson R44

Mineral Point, WI, USA
Jul. 20, 2021 | NTSB CEN21LA452
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Agricultural flight
No description available.

Robinson R44

West Liberty, IA, USA
Jul. 20, 2021 | NTSB CEN21LA339
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Personal flight
No description available.

Sikorsky S-76

Soehanah, South China Sea, Indonesia
Jul. 20, 2021 | NTSB GAA21WA187
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Flight type unknown
No description available.

MD Helicopters MD 900

London, England
Jul. 25, 2021 | NTSB GAA21WA188
Injuries unknown, fatalities unknown | Flight type unknown
No description available.

Enstrom F-28A

Mountain Home, ID, USA
Jul. 28, 2021 | NTSB WPR21LA293
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Personal flight
Helicopter landed hard and was substantially damaged following power loss in a hover due to fuel starvation.

Bell 206

Policka, Czech Republic
Jul. 30, 2021 | NTSB GAA21WA191
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Flight type unknown
No description available.

Enstrom 280FX

Colchester, VT, USA
Jul. 30, 2021 | NTSB ERA21LA309
1 injury, 0 fatalities | Business flight
Pilot reported smoke in cockpit and loss of power, then completed autorotative landing and egressed aircraft before it was destroyed by fire.

Robinson R66

Merry, NE, USA
Jul. 30, 2021 | NTSB CEN21LA348
1 injury, 0 fatalities | Agricultural flight
No description available.

Robinson R44

Randolph, WI, USA
Jul. 31, 2021 | NTSB CEN21LA349
1 injury, 0 fatalities | Agricultural flight
No description available.

August 2021

Robinson R66

Colusa, CA, USA
Aug. 1, 2021 | NTSB WPR21FA300
0 injuries, 4 fatalities | Personal flight
Helicopter impacted terrain for undetermined reasons.

Bell 206B

Corydon, IN, USA
Aug. 4, 2021 | NTSB CEN21LA356
1 injury, 0 fatalities | Agricultural flight
No description available.

Robinson R44

Waukon, IA, USA
Aug. 4, 2021 | NTSB CEN21LA350
1 injury, 0 fatalities | Agricultural flight
No description available.

RotorWay Exec 162F

Argyle, NY, USA
Aug. 7, 2021 | NTSB ERA21FA317
0 injuries, 2 fatalities | Personal flight
Amateur-built helicopter crashed shortly after takeoff and was destroyed in post-impact fire.

Robinson R44

Wheeling, IL, USA
Aug. 11, 2021 | NTSB CEN21LA369
1 injury, 0 fatalities | Personal flight
Pilot reported rpm fluctuations and attempted autorotative landing, at which time main rotor struck a pole and helicopter was substantially damaged.

Robinson R22

West Jordan, UT, USA
Aug. 14, 2021 | NTSB WPR21LA320
2 injuries, 0 fatalities | Instructional flight
Pilots reported loss of power during approach to landing before ground impact and rollover.

Hummer 260L

Livingston, TN, USA
Aug. 18, 2021 | NTSB ERA21LA335
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Personal flight
During takeoff climb, pilot reported power fluctuations and attempted to perform an autorotation that resulted in a hard landing and rollover.

RotorWay Exec 162F

Lindale, GA, USA
Aug. 18, 2021 | NTSB ERA21LA332
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Flight type unknown
No description available.

Eurocopter BO105

Archerfield Aerodrome, Queensland, Australia
Aug. 19, 2021 | ATSB AO-2021-035
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Aerial work flight
Flight crew reported abnormal airframe vibration and completed successful landing. Post-flight inspection revealed a crack in one of the main rotor blades.

Robinson R44

Gonzales, LA, USA
Aug. 20, 2021 | NTSB CEN21LA378
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Personal flight
No description available.

Robinson R44

New Roads, LA, USA
Aug. 20, 2021 | NTSB CEN21LA385
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Personal flight
No description available.

Enstrom 280C

Port Orange, FL, USA
Aug. 21, 2021 | NTSB ERA21LA339
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Personal flight
Helicopter lost tail-rotor authority during landing, resulting in hard landing with substantial damage.

Enstrom 280FX

Llanfachreth, Wales
Aug. 25, 2021 | NTSB GAA21WA247
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Flight type unknown
No description available.

Bell 206L-1

Glide, OR, USA
Aug. 27, 2021 | NTSB WPR21LA333
1 injury, 0 fatalities | Agricultural flight
No description available.

Robinson R22

Arnaudville, LA, USA
Aug. 27, 2021 | NTSB CEN21LA389
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Positioning flight
During attempted landing, pilot reported uncontrolled right yaw before helicopter impacted ground and rolled over.

Robinson R44

Camp Verde, AZ, USA
Aug. 27, 2021 | NTSB WPR21LA341
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Public aircraft
No description available.

Robinson R44

Kamanjab, Namibia
Aug. 28, 2021 | NTSB GAA21WA223
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Flight type unknown
No description available.

Robinson R44

Pelican, AK, USA
Aug. 30, 2021 | NTSB ANC21LA079
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | External-load flight
No description available.

Robinson R44

Pelican, AK, USA
Aug. 30, 2021 | NTSB ANC21LA080
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Positioning flight
No description available.

September 2021

McDonnell Douglas 369E

Delta Junction, AK, USA
Sep. 6, 2021 | NTSB ANC21LA083
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Air taxi flight
No description available.

Bell 206L-3

Tillamook, Oregon, USA
Sep. 8, 2021 | NTSB WPR21LA338
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Agricultural flight
During agricultural reconnaissance flight, pilot struck a power line, lost control, and impacted terrain.

Enstrom F-28

Toughkenamon, PA, USA
Sep. 8, 2021 | NTSB ERA21LA357
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Personal flight
No description available.

Robinson R22

Mentone, TX, USA
Sep. 10, 2021 | NTSB CEN21FA410
0 injuries, 1 fatality | Aerial observation flight
Helicopter impacted terrain near damaged power lines during observation flight. Additional evidence of wire-strike damage was noted on accident aircraft.

Eurocopter AS350 B2

Romeo, MI, USA
Sep. 15, 2021 | NTSB CEN21LA431
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Instructional flight
No description available.

Robinson R66

Monticello, GA, USA
Sep. 15, 2021 | NTSB ERA21FA362
0 injuries, 3 fatalities | Air taxi flight
Helicopter impacted terrain for undetermined reasons. Earlier in flight, pilot had landed in a field to avoid poor weather, then resumed flight.

Robinson R66

Reynoldsville, IL, USA
Sep. 15, 2021 | NTSB CEN21LA421
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Agricultural flight
No description available.

Hughes 369

Ash, NC, USA
Sep. 17, 2021 | NTSB ERA21LA368
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Agricultural flight
During takeoff, pilot noted loss of rotor rpm and was unable to arrest descent before helicopter impacted ground and rolled over.

Michael W Morgan Sport Copter Vortex

Kingsland, TX, USA
Sep. 19, 2021 | NTSB CEN21LA447
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Personal flight
No description available.

Hiller UH-12E

Bovill, ID, USA
Sep. 23, 2021 | NTSB WPR21LA354
1 injury, 0 fatalities | Agricultural flight
During approach to refill bucket on agricultural flight, pilot reported a power loss for unknown reasons before impacting sloping terrain and rolling over.

Bell 407

Patterson, LA, USA
Sep. 25, 2021 | NTSB CEN21LA456
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Air taxi flight
No description available.

Robinson R44

Miami, FL, USA
Sep. 28, 2021 | NTSB ERA21LA387
1 injury, 0 fatalities | Personal flight
Shortly after helicopter touchdown, an unplanned takeoff resulted in loss of yaw control, ground impact, and rollover.

Eurocopter AS350 B3

Kinston, NC, USA
Sep. 29, 2021 | NTSB ERA21LA390
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Public aircraft
No description available.

Hiller UH-12E

Millen, GA, USA
Sep. 29, 2021 | NTSB ERA21LA386
1 injury, 0 fatalities | Agricultural flight
Pilot reported high engine rpm and loss of flight-control authority before ground impact.

Guimbal Cabri G2

Aegerten, Switzerland
Sep. 30, 2021 | NTSB GAA21WA245
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Flight type unknown
No description available.

Robinson R44

Phoenix, AZ, USA
Sep. 30, 2021 | NTSB WPR21LA359
1 injury, 0 fatalities | Personal flight
No description available.

October 2021

Robinson R22 and Piper PA-28-181

Chandler, AZ, USA
Oct. 1, 2021 | NTSB WPR22FA001
0 injuries, 2 fatalities | Instructional flight
During instructional flight at an airport, helicopter collided midair with fixed-wing aircraft, lost control, and impacted terrain.

Robinson R66

Delta, MO, USA
Oct. 5, 2021 | NTSB CEN22LA006
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Agricultural flight
No description available.

Bell 206B

Gonzales, LA, USA
Oct. 6, 2021 | NTSB CEN22LA009
1 injury, 0 fatalities | Public aircraft
During approach to landing, pilot reported loss of tail-rotor authority and completed an emergency landing.

Bell 429

Batavia, NY, USA
Oct. 6, 2021 | NTSB ERA22LA007
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Positioning flight
No description available.

RotorWay Exec 162F

Cape Town, South Africa
Oct. 9, 2021 | NTSB GAA22WA016
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Flight type unknown
No description available.

Robinson R44

Cornwall, NY, USA
Oct. 10, 2021 | NTSB ERA22FA010
0 injuries, 1 fatality | Personal flight
Helicopter impacted terrain for undetermined reasons.

Robinson R44

Palmer, AK, USA
Oct. 10, 2021 | NTSB ANC22LA001
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Air taxi flight
No description available.

Eurocopter AS350 B3

Tucson, AZ, USA
Oct. 16, 2021 | NTSB WPR22LA018
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Air taxi flight
No description available.

Robinson R44

Buchen, Germany
Oct. 17, 2021 | NTSB GAA22WA012
Injuries unknown, fatalities unknown | Flight type unknown
No description available.

Bell 206L-3

Covelo, CA, USA
Oct. 28, 2021 | NTSB WPR22LA031
0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Aerial observation flight
No description available.