# Accident 20201205020549A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Marietta, TX, December 5, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 5, 2020, 15:16 local time
- Place: Marietta, TX
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.1940° N, 94.5261° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.1940&lon=-94.5261&mi=10
- Aircraft: N371MP, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N371MP) (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: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 5,139 total, 49 in this make and model, 65 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN21LA077](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA077) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201205020549A

## Narrative

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

THE PILOT INITIATED TAKEOFF FROM AN UNCONTROLLED, CONFINED LOCATION. DURING TAKEOFF AND CLIMB OUT, THE HELICOPTER MADE CONTACT WITH A WIRE. IT THEN EXPERIENCED A HARD LANDING.  DURING THIS EVENT, THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED DAMAGE TO A ROTOR BLADE, SEVERAL COWLINGS, LANDING GEAR, AND TAIL  BOOM.

## 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 CEN21LA077](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA077), Dec 5, 2020: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N371MP), Marietta, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to see and avoid a transmission wire during takeoff.

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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