Your Robinson Is Down Off-Airport: The First Hour

If your Robinson is down and everyone is safe, the next decisions protect the aircraft. The single most important one is who moves it first. Call APEX recovery, or the AOG line, before you call a crane or a tow. The first lift decides how much further damage the aircraft takes.

Who do you call first after a helicopter goes down?

Call a qualified recovery crew, not the nearest crane. A crane operator will happily lift the aircraft, from wherever the straps reach. That is exactly the problem. APEX rigs only to the points Robinson built for jacking and hoisting, so the airframe arrives at the shop with the damage it already had and nothing new.

What should you not do?

• Do not let anyone lift, drag, or roll the aircraft by the skids, tail, or mast
• Do not start the disassembly without documenting condition first
• Do not move or disturb wreckage if an FAA/NTSB report applies, confirm first
• Do not assume it is a total loss; that is a decision for evaluation, not the scene

How does APEX stabilize and document the scene?

We photograph and video everything before a wrench turns, the position, the damage, the surroundings. That record protects your salvage value and gives the insurance adjuster clean evidence. Then the crew stabilizes the aircraft, disassembles at factory points, and loads for road transport to FXE or DXR.

What about the FAA and NTSB?

If the event is reportable, the wreckage may need to stay undisturbed until released. We work within that, coordinating the recovery around the investigation and the FAA requirements rather than around them. When you call, tell us whether authorities are involved.