20190517016609A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Alpine, UT · May 17, 2019

Date: May 17, 2019 · 10:34 local
Place: Alpine, UT
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N744TW
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR19FA148
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44 II
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Private pilot, student
Pilot’s flight hours: 145 total39 in this make and model30 in the last 90 days

N744TWRegistered now · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 10702 · Built 2005 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 II Engine modelLycoming IO-540 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Pilot took off from his home near myton, Utah around 0924 enroute to south valley regional airport, Utah (U42). The passenger took a video of the flight at 1026 (about 8 minutes before the accident) with the altimeter showing an altitude of 13,600 ft MSL and them flying just above a cloud layer. At approximately 1034 the helicopter crashed into the side of a mountain approximately 3 miles north of Alpine, Utah killing both the pilot and passenger. The aircraft wreckage was found at 7656 ft MSL.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT TOOK OFF FROM HIS HOME NEAR MYTON, UTAH AROUND 0924 ENROUTE TO SOUTH VALLEY REGIONAL AIRPORT, UTAH (U42). THE PASSENGER TOOK A VIDEO OF THE FLIGHT AT 1026 (ABOUT 8 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT) WITH THE ALTIMETER SHOWING AN ALTITUDE OF 13,600 FT MSL AND THEM FLYING JUST ABOVE A CLOUD LAYER. AT APPROXIMATELY 1034 THE HELICOPTER CRASHED INTO THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES NORTH OF ALPINE, UTAH KILLING BOTH THE PILOT AND PASSENGER. THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS FOUND AT 7656 FT MSL.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB WPR19FA148Accident · 2 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportAlpine, UTThe noninstrument-rated pilot’s continued visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and subsequent loss of control. Contributing to the accident was hypoxia due to the high altitude at which…May 17, 2019 · Substantial damage