20210719011229A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Manteo, NC · July 19, 2021

Date: July 19, 2021 · 21:07 local
Place: Manteo, NC
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N4529J
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA21LA295
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44 II
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 5 total5 in this make and model5 in the last 90 days

N4529JRegistered now · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 12683 · Built 2009 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 II Engine modelLycoming IO-540-AE1A5Reciprocating

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.

A non rated rotorcraft pilot took off with a passenger in IMC weather (instrument meteorological conditions) and lost control of the rotorcraft and hit the water. The rotorcraft was destroyed on impact. The weather at the time of the crash was heavy crosswinds and heavy rain and low visibility. Witness near the crash saw the helicopter flying at extremely low level altitude prior to the accident. There were no survivors.

As the FAA filed it

A NON RATED ROTORCRAFT PILOT TOOK OFF WITH A PASSENGER IN IMC WEATHER (INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS) AND LOST CONTROL OF THE ROTORCRAFT AND HIT THE WATER. THE ROTORCRAFT WAS DESTROYED ON IMPACT. THE WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH WAS HEAVY CROSSWINDS AND HEAVY RAIN AND LOW VISIBILITY. WITNESS NEAR THE CRASH SAW THE HELICOPTER FLYING AT EXTREMELY LOW LEVEL ALTITUDE PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THERE WERE NO SURVIVORS.

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 ERA21LA295Accident · 2 fatalClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportPoint Harbor, NCThe noncertificated pilot’s decision to continue visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation over a large body of water and a high velocity impact with the water. Contributing to the accident…Jul 19, 2021 · Destroyed