# Accident 20211229021489A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Cosby, TN, December 29, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 29, 2021, 14:21 local time
- Place: Cosby, TN
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.7732° N, 83.2792° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.7732&lon=-83.2792&mi=10
- Aircraft: N544SC, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N544SC-2023-07-22) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (registry code 7640122, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA22FA096](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22FA096) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20211229021489A

## Narrative

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

ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT DEPARTED GKT AT 1413 EASTBOUND. AIRCRAFT FLEW THROUGH VALLEYS IN AN EASTERLY/SOUTHEASTERLY DIRECTION AT ALTITUDES BETWEEN 1,200 FT AND 1,750 FT. AN EYEWITNESS NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE STATED HE FIRST HEARD THE HELICOPTER COMING, THEN WITNESSED IT FLY OUT OF THE FOG AND IMPACT TREES.

## 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 ERA22FA096](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22FA096), Dec 29, 2021: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N544SC), Cosby, TN, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s intentional, continued flight into instrument meteorological conditions in a helicopter that was not certified for instrument conditions, which resulted in a loss of helicopter control…

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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