Robinson Helicopter R44 N744BS accident near Page, Arizona

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain pitch control of the helicopter while transitioning from a hover to forward flight.

NTSB analysis

The commercial pilot was conducting a personal flight in the helicopter to practice operating in the traffic pattern and performing landings and hovers. When the helicopter was transitioning from a hover to forward flight, the nose suddenly pitched down more than expected. The pilot immediately applied aft cyclic but was unable to arrest the downward pitch. The helicopter subsequently impacted the ground and came to rest on its side. The passenger reported that first the skids and then the rotor blades contacted the ground.

During a postaccident examination of the helicopter, flight control continuity was established with no anomalies noted that would have precluded normal operations. Thus, the pilot likely did not maintain a proper pitch attitude while transitioning to forward flight.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR18LA031 for the full record.