ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 273559
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Thursday 30 December 2021 |
| Time: | 20:25 |
| Type: |  Robinson R44 Raven II |
| Owner/operator: | Hicks Seal Coating & Striping LLC |
| Registration: | N442VB |
| MSN: | 14296 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2019 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 319 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming IO-540 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Bronson, FL -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Bronson, FL |
| Bell, FL | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On December 30, 2021, about 2025 eastern standard time, a Robinson R44 II, N442VB, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Bronson, Florida. The pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
The noninstrument-rated pilot departed into night conditions with three passengers. Flight track information indicated that the helicopter flew northwest at altitudes between about 350 and 700 ft before impacting wooded terrain about 2.5 miles from the departure point. The helicopter was heavily fragmented, and the wreckage path was about 225 ft long. The examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any preimpact mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Atmospheric conditions were favorable to the development of widespread, dense radiational fog in the area of the accident site during the time the helicopter departed. The pilot was aware of these conditions, as he stated to an individual before he departed that the fog and visibility were “bad,” and that he needed to find another way home. The helicopter was not certified for instrument flight.
As the pilot maneuvered the helicopter into reduced visibility, night conditions, it is likely he could not see outside visual references. When there is a lack of outside visual references, the pilot would have to use his flight instruments to understand the helicopter’s position in space. Based on the automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data, the helicopter’s trajectory changed several times in that last .5 miles. It is likely that the pilot was not referencing his flight instruments or was experiencing the effects of spatial disorientation. Based on the available information, it is likely that the pilot became spatially disoriented and lost control of the helicopter after departing on a visual flight rules flight into reduced visibility, night conditions.
Probable Cause: A loss of control due to spatial disorientation as a result of the noninstrument-rated pilot’s improper decision to attempt a visual flight rules flight at night into an area of known reduced visibility due to fog.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.wcjb.com/2021/12/31/helicopter-crash-levy-county-kills-family-four/
https://mycbs4.com/news/local/family-of-four-dies-in-helicopter-crash-in-levy-county
https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104462
https://www.aircraft.com/aircraft/41942851/n442vb-2019-robinson-r44-raven-ii
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N442VB/history/20211231/0123Z
https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/Search/NNumberResult?NNumberTxt=442VB
https://media.sandhills.com/n442vb-2019-robinson-r44-raven-ii/img.axd?id=5011532771&wid=6072144879&rwl=False&p=&ext=&w=614&h=460&t=&lp=&c=True&wt=False&sz=Max&rt=0&checksum=D%2baQ3Uk3DeCjaANb%2b9D31ZhrMcgvLJ4Kyi8siDpogSY%3d (photo)
Location
Images:
Media:
Family of four dies in helicopter crash in Levy County https://t.co/om5tfXtazC
— Thomas Forester (@Thomas_CBS4) January 1, 2022
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 31-Dec-2021 18:01 | harro | Added |
| 31-Dec-2021 18:10 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Location, Phase, Source] |
| 31-Dec-2021 18:42 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 01-Jan-2022 15:07 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 01-Jan-2022 15:10 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Embed code, Narrative] |
| 01-Jan-2022 16:19 | johnwg | Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category] |
| 05-Jan-2022 00:25 | Captain Adam | Updated [Departure airport, Narrative] |
| 16-Jan-2022 04:21 | Captain Adam | Updated [Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category] |
| 20-Oct-2023 22:07 | Captain Adam | Updated [[Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category]] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation