Robinson R44 accident near Grand Ridge, FL
On January 2, 2006, a Robinson R44 (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Grand Ridge, FL. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- January 2, 2006
- Place
- Grand Ridge, FL
- Aircraft
- Robinson R44 · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 30.667°N, 85.060°W
- NTSB ID
- 20060111X00044
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On January 1, 2006, about 1900 central standard time, a Robinson R44 helicopter, N442DH, registered to a private individual, was destroyed by impact and a postcrash fire when it collided with trees and terrain, about 6 miles south-southwest of Grand Ridge, Florida. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the area at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the Title 14, CFR Part 91 ferry flight. The helicopter was destroyed by impact and the postcrash fire. The commercial pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. The flight originated about 5 minutes earlier, from a parking lot of a hotel near Grand Ridge, on Highway 69. Witnesses reported to Jackson County Sheriff's Office that the helicopter landed in a parking lot of a hotel about 1800, and the occupants inquired at the hotel about the price of a room. After being told about the price, the occupants walked to a restaurant at a truck stop across the street from the hotel. The occupants ate at the restaurant, and then went to the helicopter. The helicopter was seen departing south from the hotel parking lot. A witness contacted the Jackson County Sheriff's Office on January 4th, between 1000 and 1030 hours, and reported that on the day of the accident, about 1900, while driving on Highway I-10, he saw an explosion. The witness pointed out the area where he saw the explosion, and the wreckage was located. According to one of the three owners of the helicopter, it had been in Mississippi to provide hurricane relief, and the accident pilot was tasked with ferrying the helicopter from Mississ
Probable cause
The pilot's continued flight into known adverse weather, and his impairment, which resulted in an in-flight collision with trees and terrain during cruise flight.
More accidents in FL
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Browse: Florida · Robinson aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
