Summary
On October 16, 2020, a Robinson R44 (N500DL) was involved in an accident near Pahrump, NV. The accident resulted in 2 minor injuries, with 1 person uninjured out of 3 aboard. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The pilot’s failure to maintain helicopter control while hovering low over a body a water while facing into the sun, which resulted in a loss of visual reference and subsequent impact with the lake surface.
This accident is documented in NTSB report WPR21LA021. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N500DL.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot’s failure to maintain helicopter control while hovering low over a body a water while facing into the sun, which resulted in a loss of visual reference and subsequent impact with the lake surface.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# WPR21LA021