Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II accident near Cosby, TN
On December 29, 2021, a Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Cosby, TN. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- December 29, 2021
- Place
- Cosby, TN
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 35.773°N, 83.279°W
- NTSB ID
- 20211229104453
Official records · ERA22FA096
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn December 29, 2021, at 1425 eastern standard time, a Robinson Helicopter Company R-44 II, N544SC, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Cosby, Tennessee. The commercial pilot received serious injuries and the passenger was fatally injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to personnel at Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Airport (GKT), Sevierville, Tennessee, the pilot and passenger traveled from Utah to pick up the helicopter after leasing it from the owner. They arrived at the service center where the helicopter had been stored about 0830 on the day of the accident. The pilot reviewed the lease agreement and conducted a local flight around the GKT airport traffic pattern to assess the helicopter per the lease agreement. According to personnel at the service center, “the weather throughout the day was changing from marginal VFR conditions to IFR conditions.” The pilot had conversations with the service center employees about leaving the area but was cautioned by all of them he spoke with about the dangers of flying in the Smoky Mountains in marginal weather. One person showed him a book in their training room filled with controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) accidents that occurred in the area. The pilot’s response was “those are hills,” and informed him he had 14 years of experience of mountain flying. Additionally, a local helicopter air ambulance pilot who worked on the airport met the pilot and asked about his intentions. The pilot stated he planned on departin
Probable cause
The pilot’s intentional, continued flight into instrument meteorological conditions in a helicopter that was not certified for instrument conditions, which resulted in a loss of helicopter control and a collision with trees and terrain.
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Browse: Tennessee · 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.
