Robinson R44 II N42333

Summary

On 9 July 2011 at about 13:27 local time, a Robinson R44 II registered N42333, operated by Joseph Ohnheiser, was involved in an accident near Rising Sun, Indiana, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 July 2011 at 13:27

Classification

Accident

Location

Rising Sun, Indiana, United States

Coordinates

38.9164, -84.8850

Aircraft

Robinson R44 II

Registration

N42333

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2009

Engines

1

Operator

Joseph Ohnheiser

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Georgetown → Anderson

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN11FA468

1 person died.

The noninstrument-rated pilot's decision to continue the visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in his spatial disorientation and failure to maintain clearance from terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The noninstrument-rated pilot contacted approach control and requested clearance through class B airspace with visual flight rules (VFR) radar service to his destination. About 7 minutes later, the pilot reported that he needed to descend because he was "getting into too many clouds." The approach controller approved the VFR descent and instructed the pilot to maintain VFR at or below 2,000 feet. About 6 minutes later, radar data were lost. Recorded radar track data indicated that the helicopter was on a northwest heading and then turned west, that the helicopter's altitude varied between 1,100 to 1,300 feet above ground level, and that the helicopter appeared to be in a right turn before impact. The helicopter impacted trees near the top of a ridgeline located about 0.3 mile west of the Ohio River at an elevation of about 700 feet. The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, located about 13 nautical miles northeast of the accident site, reported 4 miles visibility, haze, and scattered clouds at 1,100 feet. Witnesses reported dense ground fog along the river and on the ridgeline near the accident site at the time of the accident. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Based on the pilot's inexperience, the radar data, and the reduced visibility at the time of the accident, it is likely that the he experienced spatial disorientation, which led to his failure to maintain clearance from the terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.