Robinson Helicopter R44 N442RP accident near Parkston, South Dakota

Probable cause

The pilot’s decision to take off from a confined area and his failure to adequately compensate for wind conditions during the takeoff, which resulted in collision with obstacles.

NTSB analysis

The commercial pilot landed the helicopter adjacent to a building and intended to shut down the engine to install the spray system, which was located on a trailer parked next to the helicopter; however, he was then asked to give a ride to 3 company employees. As the helicopter lifted off with the passengers onboard, the pilot reported that a tailwind pushed the helicopter forward and into the trailer and the adjacent building, and that he "did not have time to recover." The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation and stated that a "less confined" takeoff location "would have been preferred." Given the confined location of the takeoff, it is likely that the pilot did not have adequate space to compensate for the tailwind condition experienced during the takeoff, which resulted in collision with obstacles.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN16LA006 for the full record.