Tail Rotor Assembly And About Two Ft Of The Tail Cone Was Separated From The Helicopter And Were Located About 340 Ft Southwest Of The Fuselage

Location: Bluestem, WA Accident Number: WPR24FA200
Date & Time: June 19, 2024, 16:20 Local Registration: N323TT
Aircraft: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II Injuries: 2 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

On June 19, 2024, about 1620 Pacific daylight time, a Robinson Helicopters R-44 II, N323TT, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Bluestem, Washington. The pilot and the pilot-rated-passenger were fatally injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. 

According to the pilot’s wife, he was returning the helicopter to the Coeur d’Alene / Pappy Boyington Field (COE), Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and invited a friend, who was a certificated airplane pilot.

Recorded Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) showed that the helicopter departed Boeing Field / King County International Airport (BFI), Seattle, Washington at 1328. The helicopter arrived at Bowers Field Airport (ELN), Ellensburg, Washington, about 1437, where according to the airport manager, the pilot purchased 14 gallons of fuel, prior to departing at 1511. ADS-B data showed the helicopter flew to the northeast while at an altitude between 2,500 to 3,800 ft mean sea level (msl) and a groundspeed of about 100 knots. The last ADS-B data point showed the helicopter at about 3,050 ft msl, or about 740 ft above ground level (agl), with a groundspeed of 69 knots, about 50 ft southwest of the accident site.

Examination of the accident site revealed that the helicopter impacted open, hilly, terrain. The helicopter came to rest upright at the first point of impact, on a heading of about 086° magnetic at an elevation of 2,182 ft msl. The tail rotor assembly and about two ft of the tail cone was separated from the helicopter and were located about 340 ft southwest of the fuselage. Fragments of the helicopter were located within the debris path between the fuselage and the tail rotor assembly. A postaccident fire mostly consumed the fuselage. The remainder of the tail cone, engine and main rotor assembly remained but were also thermally damaged.

The wreckage was transported to a secure facility for further examination. 

FMI: www.ntsb.gov