# Accident 20201210015319A: Robinson Helicopter R44, Colorado City, TX, December 10, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 10, 2020, 09:30 local time
- Place: Colorado City, TX
- Airport: Colorado City Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.3156° N, 100.9472° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.3156&lon=-100.9472&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7085Z, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7085Z-2022-01-08) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 (registry code 7640120, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O-540-F1B5 (registry code 42353, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-540-f1b5) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER R44
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O-540-F1B5
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,400 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN21LA084](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA084) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201210015319A

## Narrative

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

ON DECEMBER 10, 2020 AT APPROXIMATELY 0930, A ROBINSON R44 AIRCRAFT BEARING REGISTRATION NUMBER N7085Z, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ IMPACTED TERRAIN AFTER AN APPARENT TAIL ROTOR STOPPAGE APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES SOUTH, SOUTHWEST OF COLORADO CITY, TEXAS (32.315611 -100.947194) .  THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED ON A BUSINESS FLIGHT.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED, AND THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES.  THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM 1357 E COUNTY ROAD 145, COLORADO CITY, TX, ON DECEMBER 10, 2020 AT APPROXIMATELY 0900.

## 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 CEN21LA084](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA084), Dec 10, 2020: Robinson R44 (N7085Z), Colorado City, TX, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s loss of control and exceedance of performance and/or structural limitations during low-altitude operations, which resulted in an inflight breakup.. Contributing to the accident was the…

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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