Robinson R44 II N999ZD

Summary

On 21 September 2008 at about 10:38 local time, a Robinson R44 II registered N999ZD was involved in an accident near Kenosha, Wisconsin, 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

21 September 2008 at 10:38

Classification

Accident

Location

Kenosha, Wisconsin, United States

Nearest airport

Kenosha Regional (ENW)

Coordinates

42.6217, -87.9597

Aircraft

Robinson R44 II

Registration

N999ZD

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Whiting → Kenosha

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

CHI08FA293

2 people died.

The pilots failure to maintain clearance from terrain resulting in an in-flight collision with a house. Contributing to the accident was the night instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) and the pilot's lack of experience of flying in IMC.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The non-instrument-rated pilot departed from a casino heliport on a night cross country flight with a passenger. The helicopter impacted an occupied home and terrain about 1.5 miles south of the destination airport. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the area of the accident. A witness said the helicopter sounded "really low" and the "engine sounded like it was at low RPMs." An on-scene investigation revealed the filament in the rotor's low rpm light bulb was stretched. No pre-impact helicopter or engine anomalies were detected. The pilot's logbook showed he had accumulated 329 hours of total flight time. The pilot had recorded 37.25 hours of night flight time.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.