Robinson R44 N820DF

Summary

On 17 October 2017 at about 05:18 local time, a Robinson R44 registered N820DF, operated by Mauna Loa Helicopters, was involved in an accident near Molokai, Hawaii, 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

17 October 2017 at 05:18

Classification

Accident

Location

Molokai, Hawaii, United States

Coordinates

21.2228, -157.1533

Aircraft

Robinson R44

Registration

N820DF

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2002

Engines

1

Operator

Mauna Loa Helicopters

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Honolulu → Honolulu

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

WPR18LA010

2 people died.

A descent and subsequent impact with open ocean waters for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During a night instructional flight in the helicopter, the commercial pilot receiving instruction and the flight instructor departed and flew uneventfully to an adjacent island, where they conducted a practice instrument approach to an airport before they initiated the published missed approach procedure. As the flight reestablished radio communication with air traffic control, the pilots obtained an instrument flight rules clearance for their return to the departure airport. Radar and radio contact with the helicopter were lost shortly thereafter. Air units from the United States Coast Guard and a local fire department located some floating debris in the ocean the night of the accident and the day following the accident, respectively. The wreckage was located about 12 months following the accident submerged in the Pacific Ocean at a reported depth of 298 ft. A portion of the located wreckage was recovered about 3 months later. A postaccident examination of the recovered wreckage revealed no evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation of the airframe or engine. Weather radar depicted an area of moderate-to-heavy rain showers along the helicopter's flight path about the time radar and radio contact were lost. Although the pilots had access to sufficient weather information to properly plan their flight around the weather and could have asked for further assistance in avoiding the weather from air traffic control, they elected to fly into an environment favorable to unexpected changes in wind direction and speed due to heavy rain showers, which could result in localized instrument meteorological conditions; however, because only a portion of the wreckage was recovered, the reason for the helicopter's sudden descent and impact with open ocean waters could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.