| Crash location | 41.433056°N, 100.483889°W |
| Nearest city | Stapleton, NE
41.480275°N, 100.512920°W 3.6 miles away |
| Tail number | N544LB |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 31 May 2006 |
| Aircraft type | Robinson R44 |
| Additional details: | None |
The helicopter sustained substantial damage during landing when its rotor impacted a tree and the helicopter subsequently impacted terrain. Reported winds were variable at 4 knots. The pilot stated, "Picked landing site that was not smooth enough for a gentle set down. Lifted too quickly to reposition. This maneuver resulted in chopping top out of near pine tree damaging the main rotor at about 20 feet. The helicopter settled about 30 feet away coming to rest next to a building with more damage to the main, tailcone and skid struts." The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter in reference to the flight.
The pilot not maintaining clearance fron the tree during landing. A factor was the tree.