# Accident 19980702015889A: Robsin R44, Cassville, MO, July 2, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: July 2, 1998, 14:15 local time - Place: Cassville, MO - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 36.6706° N, 93.8603° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.6706&lon=-93.8603&mi=10 - Aircraft: N8329B, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8329B-2003-12-24) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 (registry code 7640120, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ROBSIN R44 - Reported engine: LYC VO540* - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 4,700 total, 38 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI98LA239](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA239) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980702015889A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. HELICOPTER WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND DUE TO BAD WEATHER, STRUCK A POWER LINE AND CRASHED, CASSVILLE, MO. (.4)THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE ENROUTE TO THEIR DESTINATION WHEN THEY BECAME AWARE THAT THEY WERE APPROACHING A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM BEHIND. THE PILOT DECIDED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING DUE TO THE CONVECTIVE WEATHER IN THE AREA AND WAIT FOR THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS TO MOVE FURTHER FROM THEIR ROUTE. DURING APPROACH TO THE LANDING AREA, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A POWER LINE, APPROXIMATELY 35' ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL), AND THE PILOT EXECUTED A RUN-ON LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LANDING SKIDS, ROTOR BLADES, AND TAIL BOOM. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS AWARE OF THE THUNDERSTORMS FROM WATCHING A TELEVISION WEATHER BROADCAST, BUT THOUGHT THE LINE OF STORMS HAD MOVED PAST HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT WHEN HE HAD MADE HIS DEPARTURE. THERE WERE NO FLIGHT SERVICE STATION (FSS) OR DIRECT USER ACCESS TERMINAL SYSTEM (DUATS) PILOT BRIEFINGS GIVEN FOR THE AIRCRAFT IN QUESTION. THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WERE NO AIRCRAFT MECHANICAL PROBLEMS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT. (-23) WHILE ENROUTE, PIC EXPERIENCED DETERIORATING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND ELECTED TO MAKE A LANDING AT THE ROARING RIVER STATE PARK. ON SHORT FINAL TO A CLEARING, THE AIRCRAFT'S MAIN ROTOR CONTACTED A POWER AND TELEPHONE LINE ABOUT 30 FEET AGL. ROTOR RPM DECAYED AND AIRCRAFT FELL VERTICAL, DISTORTING THE LANDING SKIDS AND TAIL ROTOR ASSEMBLY. THERE WAS NO POST-CRASH FIRE. PIC AND PASSENGER RECEIVED INJURIES SUFFICIENT TO REMAIN OVERNIGHT IN A LOCAL HOSPITAL. (.19) ON JULY 2, 1998, AT 1415 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME (CDT), A ROBINSON R44, N8329B, PILOTED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT CONTACTED WIRES AND IMPACTED THE GROUND DURING A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING, IN THE ROARING RIVER STATE PARK, NEAR CASSVILLE, MISSOURI. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE PRECAUTIONARY LANDING WAS ATTEMPTED DUE TO DETERIORATING WEATHER IN THE AREA, RESULTING FROM THUNDERSTORMS, LIGHTNING, AND LOWERED VISIBILITY. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PERSONAL 14 CFR PART 91 CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT WAS NOT OPERATING ON A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER REPORTED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT DEPART ED NEAR TULSA, OKLAHOMA, AT TIME UNKNOWN, WITH THE INTENDED DESTINATION OF M. GRAHAM CLARK AIRPORT, NEAR POINT LOOKOUT, MISSOURI. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB CHI98LA239](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA239), Jul 2, 1998: Robinson R-44 (N8329B), Cassville, MO, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot in command's inadequate preflight planning/preparation and weather evaluation that resulted in flight into adverse weather conditions. Factors to the accident were a preflight briefing… ## Other reports on N8329B (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20030717016869A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030717016869A), Jul 17, 2003: Robsin R44 (N8329B), Flagstaff, AZ, Substantial damage. (-23) While cruising @ 900' (AGL) approx. 29 miles se of Flagstaff, AZ, heading to payson, AZ, the pilot lost power and entered autorotation. The helicopter… From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.