# Accident 20001204024789A: Robsin R44, Sand Gap, KY, December 4, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 4, 2000, 19:10 local time
- Place: Sand Gap, KY
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.4798° N, 84.0907° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.4798&lon=-84.0907&mi=10
- Aircraft: N744FC, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N744FC-2004-01-27) (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 O540F1B5
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 3
- Pilot flight hours: 386 total, 60 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC01FA053](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC01FA053) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20001204024789A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) 1. FOG 2. IN FLIGHT CONTROL IN FLIGHT 3. LOSS OF CONTROL IN FLIGHT 4. IMPACT WITH TERRAIN (.4)ON DECEMBER 4, 2000, ABOUT 1910 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A ROBINSON R-44A, N744FC, OPERATED BY CHRISTIAN CARDIOLOGY, MANCHESTER, KENTUCKY, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED RISING TERRAIN NEAR SANDGAP, KENTUCKY. THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED, CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED. NIGHT INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THE BUSINESS FLIGHT THAT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THE PILOT, ALONG WITH TWO COMPANY EMPLOYEES WERE EN ROUTE TO LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY, TO ACQUIRE ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT FOR A PLANNED EXPANSION OF THE PILOT'S MEDICAL PRACTICE. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE FLIGHT HAD BEEN PLANNED TO DEPART FROM HIS OFFICE IN MANCHESTER, WITH AN INTERMEDIATE STOP AT JACKSON, KENTUCKY, AND THEN PROCEED TO LEXINGTON. THE PILOT WAS ESTIMATED TO HAVE DEPARTED ABOUT 1850. SEVERAL WITNESSES ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT REPORTED EITHER SEEING OR HEARING A HELICOPTER FLY BY. HOWEVER, A CHECK OF THE TIMES THE HELICOPTER WAS OBSERVED OR HEARD, REVEALED MOS                                                      T WERE EARLIER THAN THE DEPARTURE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. TWO WITNESSES IN A VEHICLE, WERE HEADED TOWARD MCKEE, KENTUCKY, ABOUT 1910. THEY OBSERVED A BRIGHT GLOW ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF A RIDGELINE THROUGH CLOUDS. ONE OF THE WITNESS REPORTED THE GLOW LASTED FOR ABOUT 5 SECONDS AND DESCRIBED IT AS SIMILAR TO A SUNRISE. THE OTHER WITNESS REPORTED A LOW CLOUD COVERED THE TOP OF THE RIDGE. NEITHER WITNESS SAW OR HEARD THE HELICOPTER PRIOR TO THE GLOW, NOR WAS ANY SMOKE OBSERVED AFTER THE GLOW. BASED UPON THE WITNESSES' OBSERVATIONS, THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND ON DECEMBER 5, 2000. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING THE HOURS OF DARKNESS AT 37 DEGREES, 31.272 NORTH LATITUDE, AND 84 DEGREES, 04.911 MINUTES WEST LONGITUDE.

## 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 NYC01FA053](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC01FA053), Dec 5, 2000: Robinson R-44A (N744FC), Sandgap, KY, destroyed, 3 fatal. Probable cause: the pilot's improper weather evaluation, and his failure to maintain terrain clearance while operating over unlighted terrain at night. Factors were the isolated areas of fog, and night conditions.

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.

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