R44 Low RPM Accident Review

This accident review goes beyond the probable cause to connect the facts with practical training and safety resources that can help prevent similar accidents. Using photos and video from the accident investigation, along with graphics and animations to help paint the picture, we take a deeper look at the issues and the lessons we can all learn from.

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Overview

This episode is going to be a little different from the usual format.

Normally these podcast episodes are deep dives into training topics. But I’ve always been interested in accident reports and the lessons they can teach us. So from time to time, I’ll be mixing in these shorter accident review episodes, connecting the facts, safety resources, and training topics that can help us become safer pilots.

The goal isn’t to wildly speculate about the cause, second guess the people involved, or assign blame. The investigators have already done the hard work of determining the facts. My goal is simply to take those facts and tease out and share the lessons we can all learn from, and hopefully help prevent similar accidents in the future.

In this episode, I’ll be looking at the final NTSB report involving a Robinson R44 low RPM accident near Mount Blanco, Texas in April 2026, including:

Practical lessons & take-aways additional graphics and video clips that were not part of the original webinar.

• Pilot and aircraft background
• Weather and performance considerations
• ADS-B flight track analysis
• USHST helicopter accident statistics
• Reference to Robinson Safety Notices
• Distraction and pilot priorities
• Energy management
• Load factor and reduced lift
• Use of aft cyclic with Low RPM

Chapters

• 00:00 START
• 01:27 Introduction to the accident
• 01:45 Pilot details
• 02:41 Robinson Safety Notice SN-34
• 03:44 Aircraft details
• 04:45 Estimated gross weight and performance
• 05:00 Weather details
• 06:02 Purpose of flight
• 06:39 USHST helicopter accident statistics
• 06:54 Robinson Safety Notice SN-34
• 07:53 Accident sequence
• 08:39 ADS-B flight track
• 09:30 NTSB Class 4 explanation
• 09:50 Accident findings
• 10:09 Probable cause
• 10:39 Lessons learned
• 11:02 Distraction
• 11:27 Robinson Safety Notice SN-34
• 11:50 Pilot priorities
• 12:09 Energy management
• 13:16 Load factor and reduced lift
• 13:59 Exceeding engine power available
• 14:40 Low rotor RPM
• 15:05 Robinson Safety Notice SN-10
• 15:30 The power of aft cyclic
• 16:08 Low RPM with no aft cyclic
• 16:40 How SN-10 matches the final seconds of the accident
• 17:40 Summary and key takeaways
• 17:53 OUTRO

Show Links

Here are all the links referenced in this episode:

• NTSB Final Report CEN26LA168 – https://tinyurl.com/NTSB-CEN26LA168
• NTSB Investigation Classification – https://tinyurl.com/NTSB-Classification
• USHST 2017 Accident Study – https://tinyurl.com/USHST-2013-Study
• R44 Low RPM Incident Video – https://youtu.be/fe2CN0SIwTk
• Dangerous Student Errors Playlist – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJ8xtPILNIljCuCGUKfDQyf2kaQuKFOoC
• Robinson Safety Notices & POH – https://tinyurl.com/RHC-SNs
• Found On Preflight Safety Initiate – https://foundonpreflight.com/
• Book a Discovery Flight – ⁠https://tinyurl.com/HTV-Disco⁠
• Recommended Books – ⁠https://tinyurl.com/HTV-Books⁠
• Essential Pilot Supplies – ⁠https://tinyurl.com/HTV-Supplies⁠
• Helicopter Online Ground School (H.O.G.S.) 10% Discount use “HTV10” at Checkout – ⁠http://tinyurl.com/HOGSDiscount⁠

Feedback

We’d love to hear from you! Send us your questions, feedback, or thoughts. You can reach out to the show through the contact form or even record an audio message—we might feature your input in a future episode!