Pilot Debrief

Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II near Bennett, IA — 2026-08-02

Investigation ongoingCEN26LA276
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Date
2026-08-02
Location
Bennett, IA, USA
Aircraft
Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II
Registration
N26KL
Category
Helicopter
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

NTSB has not published a probable cause for this accident yet. Preliminary reports describe what happened; the cause is determined later, often 12–24 months after the event.

NTSB narrative

On August 2, 2026, about 1318 central daylight time, a Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II helicopter, N26KL, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Bennett, Iowa. The pilot was not injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 agricultural flight. The pilot reported that as the helicopter passed over a tree line he felt a vibration in the airframe and when the vibration increased he decided to perform an autorotation into the next field. According to the pilot, the helicopter descended rapidly from about 20 ft above the ground which resulted in a hard landing. A witness to the accident reported hearing an “awful” noise before the helicopter passed over a tree. The witness stated that as the helicopter descended the main rotor blades almost stopped rotating when the helicopter was about 10 to 15 ft above the ground, and then the helicopter dropped vertically into the field. The airframe and tailboom sustained substantial damage during the hard landing. The helicopter was recovered to a secure facility pending an examination.

Preliminary NTSB coding

  • Hard landing · Autorotation
View NTSB preliminary report

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