Robinson Helicopter Crashes

• July 4, 2020, Robinson R44 helicopter crash in Broome, Australia. The pilot and a passenger died and two others were critically injured when the R44 crashed in a suburb of Broome, after witnessed heard a loud bang.
• January 30, 2018, Robinson R44 helicopter crash near Newport Beach, California. The R44 crashed into a house, killing the pilot and two passengers. Another passenger was seriously injured and one person on the ground was also injured. Wisner Baum represents all of the passengers from this crash.
• March 22, 2015, Robinson R44 helicopter crash, near Orlando, Florida. The R44 collided with a building and exploded into fire.
• August 29, 2008, crash near Table Rock Lake, Missouri, involving a Robinson R44 II operated by Central Illinois Air Corp., (two people were killed). This case resolved with a confidential settlement.
• June 14, 2008, Robinson R44 II operated by Adventure Helicopter Tours crashed in Topanga Canyon, California (the two passengers and the pilot were injured). We resolved this case with a confidential settlement.
• August 2, 2007, a Robinson R44 II charter flight operated by Classic Helicopter Corp., crashed and burned three miles south of Easton, Washington (three passengers and one pilot were killed). We resolved this case on the eve of trial with a confidential settlement.

Robinson R66 Crash Cases

• January 9, 2020, Robinson R66 crash near Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania . Experienced pilot Mark Croce, a prominent businessman from Buffalo, was piloting the aircraft when it allegedly experienced a sudden and catastrophic break up inflight during normal flight and crashed, killing Mr. Croce and his colleague. Wisner Baum helicopter crash lawyers are taking this case to trial on November 6, 2023.
• June 23, 2016, Robinson R66 helicopter crash, near Wikieup, Arizona. The R66 crashed during a cross-country flight, headed for Riverside, California to conduct a chief pilot check ride with an FAA inspector.
• November 20, 2013, Robinson R66 helicopter crash, Mangaratiba, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
• July 12, 2011, the first Robinson R66 helicopter crash, near Flandes, Colombia, (two people were killed). We inspected this wreckage in Colombia and then had it shipped to the U.S. We and our team of experts are conducting an extensive investigation into this crash.

Robinson R22 Crash Cases

• January 4, 2017, Robinson R22 helicopter crash in San Pedro, California. The R22 crashed into the waters at the Port of Los Angeles during an aerial photo shoot of cruise ships.
• July 9, 2012, Robinson R22 crash, near Murrieta, California. The R22 crashed during flight instruction.
• July 8, 2004, a Robinson R22 Beta Helicopter crashed in Rochester, Minnesota (the student pilot was killed, and the flight instructor seriously injured). This case was resolved with a confidential settlement.
• November 27, 2001, a Robinson R22 Helicopter crashed in San Salvador, El Salvador (the passenger and pilot were both killed). We were successful in obtaining U.S. jurisdiction for this case and we subsequently resolved it for our clients with a confidential settlement.

Robinson Helicopter Company Overview

• Robinson Helicopter Company was established in 1985 as a helicopter manufacturing company, based in Southern California. They produce the R22, a two-seater model, the R44, a four-seater model and the R66, a turbine-powered model. Over the last 50 years, the company has manufactured and delivered more than 13,000 helicopters.
• The company employs a workforce of approximately 1,300 workers who work in manufacturing, refurbishing older aircraft and providing training for instructors and technicians. Robinson also offers helicopters that are made specifically for law enforcement agencies and news organizations.

Robinson Helicopter Crash Stats

• Robinson helicopters have been involved in hundreds of fatal accidents and incidents since the company delivered its first helicopter in 1979. According to government data*, as of June 9, 2023, Robinson R22, R44, and R66 models have been involved in approximately 1,754 aviation accidents or incidents globally. Of these, 447 were fatal crashes.
  • Robinson R22 crashes – 1,041 total incidents; 193 fatal.
  • Robinson R44 crashes – 657 total incidents; 227 fatal.
  • Robinson R66 crashes – 56 total incidents; 27 fatal.
• * Data current as of December 18, 2023. In October of 2020, NTSB changed its data search tool to the Case Analysis and Reporting Online (known as the CAROL query system). The CAROL system currently includes accident data going back to 1983. Because the Robinson R22 was released in 1979, the total accidents for that model are underrepresented.

Our Robinson Helicopter Cases and Lawyers in the News

• Canterbury wedding helicopter crash: Newlyweds, photographer file lawsuit against Robinson Helicopter Company in US | NZ Herald
• Two killed, including pilot, in fiery helicopter crash in Texas | New York Post
• Robinson helicopters' safety record in New Zealand: Are increased safety measures making them safer to fly? | NZ Herald
• Mark Croce's family sues California helicopter maker over crash | Buffalo News
• Lawsuit Blames Croce Crash on Defective R66 Robinson Helicopter | Press Release
• Preliminary report released on helicopter crash that killed Mark Croce, Michael Capriotto – WKBW TV | Buffalo, NY
• Experts blamed weather in fatal crash, but lawsuit alleges design flaw of Torrance-built Robinson helicopter – Daily Breeze
• Choppers down: Mystery of fatal flights – The New Zealand Herald
• Air safety board issues preliminary report on fatal Port of LA crash of Torrance-built helicopter– Daily Breeze
• Another fatal Robinson helicopter crash prompts grounding by New Zealand agency – Daily Breeze
• Fatal crashes puts Torrance-made Robinson helicopters on ‘watch list’ in New Zealand – Daily Breeze
• NTSB: Robinson helicopter crashes have killed 19, injured 41 in Florida since 2000 – Orlando Sentinel
• Suit over Robinson Helicopter deaths must be litigated in U.S., judge says – Daily Breeze
  Robinson Helicopter Company in Torrance subject of wrongful death lawsuit – Daily Breeze
• Wisner Baum brings first R66 wrongful death lawsuit – HeliHub
• Helicopter Model Involved In Fatal Crash Has Troubling Track Record – CBS News Miami
• Death of 4, Robinson Helicopter Faces Trial, Fuel Tank Design On The R44 II – AVstop.com
• ‘Ford Pinto’ of Helicopters? – Santa Barbara Independent
• Robinson R44 Low-Impact Crashes Resulting in Post-Crash Fire
• Robinson R44 Helicopter Experienced Hard Landing in Sherman Oaks
• Troy Gentry Killed in New Jersey Helicopter Crash
• Search Called Off for Men Missing After Molokai Helicopter Crash
• Jury Awards $21.7 Million to Families of Helicopter Crash Victims
• FAA Too Slow in Adopting Helicopter Fuel Tank Crashworthiness Standards
• Robinson R44 Helicopter Forced to Make Emergency Landing in England on Same Day New Zealand Lifts Directive Grounding All R44’s
• FAA Issues Airworthiness Directive for Robinson Helicopter Company
• New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority Urged to Take Action on Robinson R22 Helicopters
• Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Denies Robinson Helicopter Company’s Motion to Remove Helicopter Crash Trial Outside U.S.
• 60 Minutes Australia Exposes the Dark Side of Robinson Helicopters
• Is the Design of the Robinson R66 Defective?
• Los Angeles Crash Victims Sue Robinson Helicopter Company, Rolls Royce and Honeywell, Claiming Newly Designed R66 is Defective
• After 74 Deaths and 15 Injuries, Will the FAA Follow Australia’s Lead and Ground Unsafe Robinson Helicopters?
• Fatal Robinson R44 “Low-Impact Post-Crash” Fires Spur Bulletins

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