# Accident 20260129000929A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Sullivian, MO, January 29, 2026

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 29, 2026, 13:02 local time
- Place: Sullivian, MO
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.2129° N, 91.0892° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.2129&lon=-91.0892&mi=10
- Aircraft: N916VK, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N916VK-2026-09-21) (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: 0
- Other injuries: 4
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 7,185 total, 6,500 in this make and model, 68 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN26LA101](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA101) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260129000929A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 CEN26LA101](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA101), Jan 29, 2026: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N916VK), Sullivan, MO, destroyed. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from powerlines during low-level operations.

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.