Robinson R-44 N70144

Summary

On 18 June 2004 at about 07:24 local time, a Robinson R-44 registered N70144, operated by Verticare, was involved in an accident near Killingly, Connecticut, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 June 2004 at 07:24

Classification

Accident

Location

Killingly, Connecticut, United States

Nearest airport

Danielson (5B3)

Coordinates

41.7828, -71.8575

Aircraft

Robinson R-44

Registration

N70144

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Verticare

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Wilkes Barre → Providence

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

IAD04FA025

2 people died.

The pilot in command's intentional flight into instrument meteorological flight conditions, and his failure to maintain obstacle clearance which resulted in a controlled descent into trees. Factors included the pilot's inadequate weather evaluation, low cloud ceilings, fog, and dark night lighting conditions.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilots were on a multiple-stop, multiple-day mission from California to Rhode Island, to deliver a camera helicopter to the company president. The helicopter departed a Pennsylvania airport after midnight, and en route, climbed over instrument meteorological conditions. In the middle of Connecticut, the crew attempted to circle down to an airport, through the instrument conditions, but collided with trees. Local weather at the time included low ceilings and fog. The helicopter was not equipped for instrument flight, and there was no record that the pilots contacted any flight service stations to file a flight plan or receive a weather update. The pilot in command held a commercial certificate with rotorcraft-helicopter and instrument-helicopter ratings, and was a certificated flight instructor. The second pilot received his private certificate with rotorcraft-helicopter rating 2 weeks before the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.