Robinson R44 II
Aircraft Manufacturer: Robinson
Model: R44 II
About the Robinson R44 II
The R44 II is the most-registered model in Robinson Helicopter Company's lineup, its active fleet running to more than 1,000 aircraft. Those registrations account for about 89% of the manufacturer's active fleet.
Measured over the R44 II's own FAA-registration exposure, the model records about 13 accidents per 1,000 aircraft-years. Within its cohort of the same type, engine class, and seat range, its safety percentile sits at about 80%, and a higher percentile means a higher accident rate, so the R44 II carries a higher accident rate than most comparable types in that cohort. Of 237 recorded accidents for the model, 42 were fatal.
The R44 II carries 7 active airworthiness directives, drawn from 8 ever issued against the model. The most recent of those is dated July 11, 2025.
Aircraft Details
| Manufacturer | Robinson |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer Serial Number | 7640122 |
| Model | R44 II |
| Category | Land |
| Aircraft Type | Rotorcraft |
| Weight | Class 1 (Up to 12,499 lbs gross take off weight) |
| Engine Type | Reciprocating |
| Number of Engines | 1 engine |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats |
Photo: D. Miller —
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Safety Analysis
Composition of NTSB accident records for this model in general-aviation operations (FAR Part 91 and 137), based on NTSB data as of May 1, 2026. It's a breakdown of recorded accidents rather than a safety rating, and types with significant non-GA operation (such as Part 135) may be under-represented.
Accidents are identity-confirmed against FAA registration records (two independent sources).
173 exact, 61 recovered, 3 provisional
MethodologyTotal recorded general-aviation accidents within the analyzed period.
42 fatal accidents.
17.7% of recorded accidents were fatal.
Active aircraft fleet size contributing to the exposure data.
18,834
Aircraft-years of FAA registration exposure (2008–present).
Within its peer cohort
Within this model's peer class (same aircraft type, engine class, and seat range), comparison of its share of recorded NTSB accidents to its share of FAA registration exposure (aircraft-years since 2008).
This is a share comparison, not flight-hours adjusted, so a model flown more per airframe than its peers will show an accident share above its exposure share even if its per-hour safety is average. Methodology →
Accidents by year
Recorded NTSB general-aviation accidents per calendar year, derived directly from the NTSB accident database. Each bar shows the accidents that occurred in that year. Methodology →
Investigations take 12–36 months to finalise, so the trailing years come in incomplete. Recent years are adjusted upward for that lag. Observed counts show as solid bars, the lag-adjusted estimate shows hatched.
Phase of flight
Which phase of flight each accident occurred in, as coded by the NTSB. Most accidents happen in the phases where most flying time is concentrated, so this isn't a measure of which phase is most dangerous.
Finding category
Top-level NTSB cause category, from the coded investigation findings. An accident often has more than one finding, so totals here can exceed the recorded accident count.
Injury severity
NTSB classification of the worst injury in each accident: None, Minor, Serious, or Fatal. Each accident counts in exactly one severity.
Operating-rule mix (all parts): 091 (202)· 137 (35)· 135 (12)· NUSN (7)· 133 (6)· UNK (3)· PUBU (1)
Recorded Accidents
All 237 recorded NTSB general-aviation accidents for this model, most recent first.
| Date | Location | Tail | Damage | Highest injury | Phase of flight | Finding categories |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Blanco, TX | N445JS | Substantial | Minor | Maneuvering | unknown | |
| Stonewall, TX | N233JD | Substantial | Serious | Maneuvering | unknown | |
| Sullivan, MO | N916VK | Destroyed | Minor | Maneuvering | Personnel issues, Aircraft, Environmental issues | |
| Parkman, WY | N996NR | Substantial | None | Enroute | unknown | |
| Parkman, WY | N74730 | Substantial | None | Enroute | unknown | |
| Nashville, AR | N442PR | Substantial | None | Maneuvering | Personnel issues, Aircraft, Environmental issues | |
| Burlington, WA | N877DR | Substantial | Minor | Taxi | Personnel issues | |
| Cape Girardeau, MO | N24DF | Substantial | None | Enroute | unknown | |
| Ponderosa Pines, MT | N750GT | Substantial | Minor | Maneuvering | Personnel issues, Aircraft | |
| Inlet, NY | N67RW | Substantial | None | Landing | Personnel issues, Aircraft | |
| Pecos, TX | N992TP | Substantial | Serious | Maneuvering | Personnel issues, Aircraft | |
| Hawesville, KY | N144WK | Substantial | Serious | Maneuvering | Environmental issues, Personnel issues | |
| Miami, TX | N1195P | Destroyed | Fatal | Enroute | unknown | |
| Hobbs, NM | N7530U | Substantial | Minor | Takeoff | Aircraft, Personnel issues | |
| North Las Vegas, NV | N44KY | Substantial | Minor | Takeoff | unknown | |
| Uvalde, TX | N144SG | Substantial | Fatal | Maneuvering | unknown | |
| Edgemont, SD | N6555C | unknown | Serious | Maneuvering | Personnel issues, Aircraft | |
| Buras, LA | N430JM | Substantial | Serious | Taxi | Personnel issues, Environmental issues, Aircraft | |
| Iowa, LA | N62CD | Destroyed | Fatal | unknown | unknown | |
| Houston, TX | N881KE | Destroyed | Fatal | Maneuvering | unknown | |
| Ravenel, SC | N153LA | Substantial | None | Maneuvering | Personnel issues, Aircraft | |
| Basin, MT | N233WT | Substantial | Serious | Takeoff | unknown | |
| New Florence, MO | N225AM | Substantial | None | Maneuvering | Personnel issues, Aircraft, Environmental issues | |
| Bluestem, WA | N323TT | Destroyed | Fatal | Enroute | unknown | |
| Gilbertsville, KY | N220SW | Substantial | None | Takeoff | Personnel issues, Aircraft |
Page 1 of 10 (showing accidents 1–25 of 237).
Airworthiness Directives
Composition of FAA airworthiness directives (ADs) that apply to this model, as of September 26, 2026. ADs are mandatory FAA-issued corrective actions for safety-of-flight issues. Pilots, owners, and operators should always verify against the current FAA AD listing before any maintenance or flight action. Methodology →
7 active · 8 total airworthiness directives issued against this model · most recent:
Directives by year
Count of airworthiness directives issued against this model per calendar year (publication date in the Federal Register). Includes both active and superseded directives. An active AD still applies; a superseded one was replaced by a later AD.
Directives by system / component (JASC / ATA code)
Breakdown of the AD count for this model by the FAA's coded subject classification. The corpus mixes legacy 2-digit ATA chapter codes and modern 4-digit JASC codes; both forms are surfaced as separate bars (see the methodology page).
Recent directives
The most recent airworthiness directives applicable to this model, by effective date. A Superseded badge means a later AD has replaced this one; we still list the original so it isn't lost from the page.
| AD number | Effective date | Subject | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
2025-11-07 |
Airworthiness Directives; Robinson Helicopter Company Helicopters | Active | |
2024-20-03 |
Airworthiness Directives; Robinson Helicopter Company Helicopters | Active | |
2024-19-11 |
Airworthiness Directives; Robinson Helicopter Company Helicopters | Superseded | |
2022-12-08 |
Airworthiness Directives; Robinson Helicopter Company Helicopters | Active | |
2016-26-04 |
Airworthiness Directives; Robinson Helicopter Company Helicopters | Active |
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