# NTSB ERA11WA508: Robinson R44, Sao Sebastiao, Brazil, August 30, 2011

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Foreign investigation
- Date: August 30, 2011, 11:58 local (11:58 UTC)
- Place: Sao Sebastiao, Brazil
- Coordinates: -23.7775, -45.544445
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=-23.7775&lon=-45.5444&mi=10
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 3 fatal
- Status: Led by another country's authority
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Lead agency: Other
- Parties: FAA/AVP-100
- NTSB case key (mKey): 81930
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA11WA508
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/81930/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=81930
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11WA508

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,074 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md)

## Factual narrative

On August 30, 2011, about 1158 Universal Coordinated time (UTC), a Robinson R44 II, Brazilian registration PP-CLE, registered to Old Ducan S.A., and operated by Seisa Clerman EMP. Imobiliarios LTDA, crashed near Sao Sebastiao Municipality, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the area at the time of the accident and a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed for the flight from Campo dos Amarais Airport (SDAM), Campinas, Brazil, to Angra dos Reis, State of Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Brazil. The helicopter sustained substantial damage, and the certificated private pilot and two passengers were killed. The flight originated about 1100 UTC, from SDAM. According to information from the Brazilian Government approximately 58 minutes into the flight, the aircraft disappeared from radar. A search and rescue team was summoned on the same day; however, because of adverse weather during the search and rescue, the wreckage was not located until September 1, 2011, at an elevation of 1,187 feet. Witnesses near the crash site reported strong winds at the time of the accident. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Brazil. Any further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Aeronautical Accident Prevention And Investigation Center (CENIPA) Information Technology Division SHIS-QI 05-VI Comar Brasilia-DF, Brazil, 71.615.600 Phone: 55 61 3364 8819 Facsimile: 55 61 3365 1004 E-mail: dti@cenipa.aer.mil.br This report is for informational purposes only, and contains information released by or obtained for the Government of Brazil.

## Aircraft

- Registration: PP-CLE (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON R44 (II)
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 12974
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Personal, Non-U.S., non-commercial
- Operator: Seisa Clerman EMP. Imobiliarios Ltd.
- Registered owner: Old Ducan S.A.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: SDAM, Campinas
- Destination: ZZZZ, Angra dos Reis
- Flight plan: VFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; injuries: fatal; private; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 600 ft overcast
- Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observed at: SBST, 43 nm away

## Docket (1 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 6, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=81930. 7 KB in all.

- Foreign Accident Statement (item 1, .PDF, 7 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40355223&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Foreign%20Accident%20Statement-Master.PDF

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.

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