20260129000929A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Sullivian, MO · January 29, 2026

Date: January 29, 2026 · 13:02 local
Place: Sullivian, MO
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N916VK
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN26LA101
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44 II
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540 series
People aboard: 4
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 4
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 7,185 total6,500 in this make and model68 in the last 90 days

N916VKRegistration cancelled Sep 21, 2026 · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 11162 · Built 2006 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 II Engine modelLycoming IO-540 seriesReciprocating

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.

The airman had completed arial survey operations and was en route to conduct a passenger exchange. The airman was operating approximately 40 feet above the river surface while following the river contours. The aircraft struck a utility wire spanning the river, which resulted in the separation of the main rotor and caused the aircraft to impact the water.

As the FAA filed it

THE AIRMAN HAD COMPLETED ARIAL SURVEY OPERATIONS AND WAS EN ROUTE TO CONDUCT A PASSENGER EXCHANGE. THE AIRMAN WAS OPERATING APPROXIMATELY 40 FEET ABOVE THE RIVER SURFACE WHILE FOLLOWING THE RIVER CONTOURS. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A UTILITY WIRE SPANNING THE RIVER, WHICH RESULTED IN THE SEPARATION OF THE MAIN ROTOR AND CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO IMPACT THE WATER.

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 CEN26LA101Accident · Minor injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportSullivan, MOThe pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from powerlines during low-level operations.Jan 29, 2026 · Destroyed