# Accident 20211230021529A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Bronson, FL, December 30, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 30, 2021, 20:25 local time
- Place: Bronson, FL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 29.4192° N, 82.6466° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.4192&lon=-82.6466&mi=10
- Aircraft: N442VB, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N442VB) (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: 4
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 332 total, 105 in this make and model, 38 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA22FA098](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22FA098) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20211230021529A

## Narrative

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

AIRCRAFT N442VB TOOK OFF FROM A PRIVATE HOME AROUND 2023. MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED, SUFFERED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE FATALLY INJURING ALL PERSONS ONBOARD. WITNESSES REPORTED THE PRESENCE OF A HEAVY AND DENSE FOG AND THAT IT WAS A VERY DARK NIGHT.

## 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 ERA22FA098](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22FA098), Dec 31, 2021: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N442VB), Bronson, FL, destroyed, 4 fatal. Probable cause: A loss of control due to spatial disorientation as a result of the noninstrument-rated pilot’s improper decision to attempt a visual flight rules flight at night into an area of known reduced…

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.