Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II accident near Point Harbor, NC
On July 19, 2021, a Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Point Harbor, NC. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- July 19, 2021
- Place
- Point Harbor, NC
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 36.029°N, 75.992°W
- NTSB ID
- 20210721103522
Official records · ERA21LA295
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
On July 19, 2021, about 1848 eastern daylight time, a Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, N4529J, was destroyed when it impacted the Albemarle Sound near Point Harbor, North Carolina. The non-certificated pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The helicopter was operated by the pilot as a personal flight conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Review of surveillance video at the Mecklenburg-Brunswick Regional Airport (AVC), South Hill, Virginia, showed that the helicopter landed near the fueling station about 1710. The pilot and passenger (who was the pilot’s brother) conducted refueling activities together. A fuel receipt showed about 32 gallons of 100-low lead were added. At 1722 the pilot and passenger boarded the helicopter, a hover taxi was initiated to runway 19, and the helicopter departed southbound from runway 19 at 1726. Review of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) automatic dependent surveillance- broadcast (ADS-B) data found that data was received for the first 2 minutes of the flight. The flight track headed southbound from runway 19, and then about 1.5 miles south of AVC, the flight track turned southeast and ended at 1728:52. No further radar or track data was located for the remainder of the flight. A friend of the pilot reported that he received a FaceTime video call from the pilot shortly after the takeoff from AVC. The pilot told him he had just refueled and they would arrive at Manteo Airport [Dare County Regional Airport (MQI), Manteo, North Carolina] in 1 hour. The friend reported that everything seemed nor
Probable cause
The noncertificated pilot’s decision to continue visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation over a large body of water and a high velocity impact with the water. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s inadequate oversight during their initial training and improperly signing off the student for solo flight when he
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Browse: North Carolina · 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.
