# Accident 20180708009379A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Williamsburg, VA, July 8, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 8, 2018, 16:30 local time
- Place: Williamsburg, VA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.2883° N, 76.7294° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.2883&lon=-76.7294&mi=10
- Aircraft: N616HS, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N616HS-2021-12-04) (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
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA18FA187](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18FA187) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180708009379A

## Narrative

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

ON 07/08/2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 1625 LOCAL TIME N616HS DEPARTED KJGG AIRPORT ON RUNWAY 13 WITH A LEFT TURNOUT NORTHBOUND WITH ONLY THE PILOT ON BOARD.  APPROX TWO AND A HALF MILES NORTH OF THE AIRPORT, THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE ROOF OF A 2 STORY CONDOMINIUM UNIT, WHICH RESULTED IN A POST IMPACT FIRE THAT CONSUMED THE AIRCRAFT AND A PORTION  OF THE BUILDING STRUCTURE. AS A RESULT OF THE IMPACT AND FIRE THE WRECKAGE CAME TO REST ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF THE STRUCTURE.  INVESTIGATION BY HELICOPTER AND ENGINE MANUFACTURE ALONGSIDE NTSB AND FAA SHOW ALL MAJOR COMPONENTS, NOT CONSUMED BY, FIRE WHERE FOUND AT THE IMPACT LOCATION OR SHOW EVIDENCE OF BEING ON THE HELICOPTER AT TIME OF IMPACT.  SAME INVESTIGATION SHOWS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE MAJOR COMPONENTS WERE OPERATING ABNORMALLY AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. WITNESS STATEMENTS SEEM TO AGREE THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS TRACKING STRAIGHT AND TRUE UNTIL IT NOSED OVER AND CRASH DIRECTLY INTO THE BUILDING.  INITIAL MEDICAL CASE REVIEW SHOWS PILOT REPORTED NO SIGNIFICANT MEDICAL CONCERNS ON HIS MEDICAL APPLICATION; HOWEVER, THE AME DEFERRED THE MEDICAL APPLICATION TO THE AEROSPACE MEDICAL CERTIFICATION DIVISION (AMCD).   AMCD LATER DENIED THE PILOTS MEDICAL FOR PARKINSON?S DISEASE AND EARLY DEMENTIA WITH USE OF A DISQUALIFYING MEDICATION.

## 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 ERA18FA187](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18FA187), Jul 8, 2018: Robinson R44 (N616HS), Williamsburg, VA, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to safely operate the helicopter due to his impaired cognitive and physical abilities, which resulted in a loss of control.

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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