# Accident 20201118022319A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Austell, GA, November 18, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 18, 2020, 12:30 local time
- Place: Austell, GA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: 8LHA
- Location: 33.8348° N, 84.6579° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8348&lon=-84.6579&mi=10
- Aircraft: N442JP, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N442JP) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (registry code 7640122, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 (registry code 41899, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-ae1a5) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540-AE1A5
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA21LA046](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA046) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201118022319A

## Narrative

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

THE PILOT WAS TRAINING A STUDENT PILOT. THEY WERE PRACTICING APPROACHES TO A  DESIGNATED AREA, WHICH CONSISTED OF A LARGE GRAVEL MOUND THAT WAS FLATTENED ON TOP, NOTABLY, A VERY UNEVEN TERRAIN.

WHILE IN THE HOVER, THE PILOT REPORTED THE HELICOPTER SUDDENLY WENT INTO UNCONTROLLED MANEUVER AND PITCHED UP 10-20 DEGREES, FOLLOWED BY A PITCH DOWN OF 10-20 DEGREES. THE AIRCRAFT THEN WENT INTO A DYNAMIC ROLLOVER. PILOT REPORTED THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES IMPACTED THE GROUND.  IT RESTED ON ITS LEFT SIDE, FACING NORTH

## 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 ERA21LA046](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA046), Nov 18, 2020: Robinson R44 (N442JP), Austell, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The flight instructor’s failure to maintain adequate clearance above the gravel surface in a hover, which resulted in a dynamic rollover.

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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