# Accident 20241020020529A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Houston, TX, October 20, 2024

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 20, 2024, 20:01 local time
- Place: Houston, TX
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 29.7572° N, 95.3384° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.7572&lon=-95.3384&mi=10
- Aircraft: N881KE, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N881KE) (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: 4
- Fatal injuries: 4
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot, student
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN25FA019](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25FA019) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20241020020529A

## Narrative

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

AIRCRAFT OPERATING AT 600 FT FLYING STRAIGHT AND EVEL STRUCK A 1000 FT TRANSMISSION TOWER EXPLODED AND BURNED

## 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 CEN25FA019](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25FA019), Oct 21, 2024: Robinson R44 (N881KE), Houston, TX, destroyed, 4 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a lighted radio tower during a visual night flight. Contributing to the accident was the air traffic controller’s failure to issue a safety alert…

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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