- Date
- January 29, 2026, 13:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Sullivan, MO
- Injuries
- 2 minor, 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N916VKRobinson Helicopter R44 II
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 19, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20260129000929A
- Case key
- 202365
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from powerlines during low-level operations.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot stated while conducting a wildlife survey the helicopter contacted and severed a powerline which resulted in the separation of the main rotor system at the rotor mast. The fuselage and tail boom came to rest inverted and submerged in a river. The pilot stated there were no issues with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operations.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N916VK
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44 II
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 11162
- Built
- 2006
- Airframe hours
- 7,145
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5, 245 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Registered owner
- November Alpha LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 12, 2025 · 15 hours before
- Departed
- UUV · Sullivan, MO
- Airport
- UUV · Sullivan Rgnl
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Handheld GPS
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 31, 2025
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 7,185 total · 6,500 in this make and model · 6,800 as pilot in command · 68 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 32 °F, dew point 10 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.25 inHg
- Observed at
- KUUV, 4 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KUUV 291855Z AUTO 07009KT 10SM CLR 00/M12 A3025 RMK AO2
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 19, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.6 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.