# Accident 20160612005569A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Lake City, AR, June 12, 2016

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 12, 2016, 15:25 local time
- Place: Lake City, AR
- Airport: Classic Airstrip
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.8264° N, 90.5492° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.8264&lon=-90.5492&mi=10
- Aircraft: N789MR, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N789MR-2017-04-03) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (registry code 7640122, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 6,300 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN16FA215](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16FA215) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160612005569A

## Narrative

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

ON JUNE 12, 2016 APPROXIMATELY 15:25 CENTRAL TIME, A ROBINSON HELICOPTER R44 II, REGISTERED AS N789MR, SERIAL NUMBER 10561 TO FLOYD VUNCANNON AVIATION INC. LIFTED OFF FROM A PARKING SPOT ADJACENT TO THE AIRMANS HANGER AT CLASSIC AIRSTRIP (23AR) LAKE CITY ARKANSAS. THE HELICOPTER DRIFTED AFT AT APPROXIMATELY A 45 DEGREE ANGLE NOSE UP ATTITUDE TO APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET ABOVE GROUND. THE HELICOPTER ROTATED RIGHT APPEARING TO LOOSE OUT OF GROUND EFFECT CONTROL, IT THEN LOST ALTITUDE AND STRUCK THE GROUND. THE SKIDS WERE SPREAD DURING THE HARD LANDING. THE HELICOPTER IMMEDIATELY LIFTED BACK OFF TO AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET AS IT BEGAN TO ROTATE OUT OF CONTROL UP AND OVER ANOTHER HANGER IN THE AREA. THE HELICOPTER SUBSEQUENTLY STRUCK THE GROUND IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE RESULTING IN A POST CRASH FIRE. THE HELICOPTER WAS DESTROYED AND ONE PERSON ON BOARD FATALITY INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM LAKE CITY ARKANSAS ON JUNE 12, 2016 AT APPROXIMATELY 1515 CENTRAL TIME. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME. VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED.

## 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 CEN16FA215](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16FA215), Jun 12, 2016: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N789MR), Jonesboro, AR, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain helicopter control during takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's impairment due to his combined use of alcohol and diphenhydramine, which led to his…

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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