Accident: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II
Jul 21, 2017 · Van Nuys, CA
NTSB numberWPR17LA159Event id20170721X55655
- 0
- Fatalities
- 3
- Serious injuries
- 1
- Minor injuries
- 0
- Uninjured
Probable cause
An improper repair of the right magneto's tachometer and governor signal wire, which failed during cruise flight and initiated a simultaneous malfunction of both the engine tachometer and governor control system, which resulted in erroneous and contradictory information between the engine tachometer and main rotor tachometer that led the pilot to perform a forced landing. Contributing to the accident was the lack of guidance on how to address the simultaneous failure or malfunction of both the engine tachometer and governor control system.
Source: National Transportation Safety Board. Record last changed Oct 28, 2026, 10:54 UTC.
Aircraft involved
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II
- Registration
- N3254E
- Year built
- 2007
- Category
- Helicopter
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rules
- Part 91: general aviation
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)
Source: National Transportation Safety Board aviation accident database. Counts only; Voydar holds no names.
Nearest airports
Airports with a Voydar profile closest to the recorded position. Proximity only.
- Van Nuys Airport (VNY)3 nm (6 km) north-west
- Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope Airport (BUR)6 nm (11 km) north-east
- Whiteman Airport (WHP)6 nm (12 km) north
This page restates the NTSB's public record. Injury figures are counts; Voydar does not hold or publish the names of anyone involved.