What happened
On March 24, 2026, at approximately 09:30 central daylight time, a Robinson R44 II, registration N233JD, was involved in an accident near Stonewall, Texas. The aircraft was being operated by Sulphur Creek Helicopters LLC as part of a Part 91 aerial observation flight intended to flush wildlife into an open pasture.
While the pilot was performing a hover approximately 15 to 30 feet above the tree line, a loud "pop" was heard, followed by a sudden jerk in the aircraft. The pilot reported that the helicopter failed to respond to anti-torque pedal inputs and entered an uncontrolled descent into the terrain. The passenger and a witness also reported hearing the loud noise and observing the aircraft shake violently before it began a rapid clockwise rotation.
The accident resulted in 2 serious injuries and 0 fatalities.
The investigation
The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, the tailboom, the main rotor system, and the tail rotor system. Following the accident, the aircraft was moved to a secure facility for examination.