# Accident 20210719011229A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Manteo, NC, July 19, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 19, 2021, 21:07 local time
- Place: Manteo, NC
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.0295° N, 75.9920° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0295&lon=-75.9920&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4529J, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4529J) (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: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 5 total, 5 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA21LA295](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA295) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210719011229A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 ERA21LA295](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA295), Jul 19, 2021: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N4529J), Point Harbor, NC, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The 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…

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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