# Accident 20200109000439A: Robinson Helicopter Co R66, Mechanicsburg, PA, January 9, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 9, 2020, 20:29 local time
- Place: Mechanicsburg, PA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.2278° N, 77.0203° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.2278&lon=-77.0203&mi=10
- Aircraft: N450MC, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N450MC-2022-07-02) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R66 (registry code 7640130, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r66) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C300/A1 (registry code 54232, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c300-a1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER CO R66
- Reported engine: ROLLS-ROYC 250-C300/A1
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA20FA074](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20FA074) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200109000439A

## Narrative

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

ON JANUARY 9, 2020, ROBINSON R66, N450MC, DEPARTED MARTIN STATE AIRPORT (MTN), BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, AT 1958 EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST) AND WAS DESTINED FOR BUFFALO NIAGARA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (BUF), BUFFALO, NEW YORK. AT 2029 (EST), N450MC EXPERIENCED AN IN-FLIGHT BREAK-UP OVER  SILVER SPRING TOWNSHIP NEAR MECHANICSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED AND THE HELICOPTER WAS DESTROYED. THE HELICOPTER WAS OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. NIGHT VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE FLIGHT.

## 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 ERA20FA074](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20FA074), Jan 10, 2020: Robinson R66 (N450MC), Mechanicsburg, PA, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: A severe left roll excursion after the onset of pitch and roll oscillations, which were not arrested by the pilot for undetermined reasons. This resulted in main rotor blade contact with the airframe…

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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