Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Branson Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Ridgedale, Missouri 65739
Friday, August 29, 2008 16:13 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The helicopter was on a new aircraft delivery flight from California to the delivery destination in Illinois. The helicopter was being flown by two pilots and was en route to an intermediate stop to drop off the second pilot. Several witnesses were watching the helicopter in normal cruise flight approximately 700 to 1,000 feet above ground level when it suddenly nosed straight down in a 60-degree dive and impacted trees and terrain. The helicopter was destroyed by impact forces and the postimpact fire. The flight instructor had completed the Robinson safety course including an evaluation flight in a Robinson 44 helicopter. The second pilot had completed the Robinson safety course including an evaluation flight in a Robinson 22 helicopter. At the time of the accident the helicopter had accumulated an estimated 17 hours of total time. An on-scene examination of the helicopter and engine showed no pre-crash anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
An in-flight loss of control for undetermined reasons.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/29/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1613 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Ridgedale |
| Event State | MISSOURI |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 65739 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 363000N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0931832W |
| Event Location Airport | Branson Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | BBG |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 6 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1302 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 149 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KHRO |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1365 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 18 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 6000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 30 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 10 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.01 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KHRO 292053Z AUTO 01006KT 10SM FEW060 SCT100 30/21 |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 27123 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA ACE Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 29 2008 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 2 2010 11:17AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dinc |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Kansas City FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N41411 |
| NTSB Number | DFW08FA218 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | ROBINSON |
| Aircraft Model | R44 II |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 12429 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2500 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 2 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 18 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 13 |
| Airframe Hours | 17 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C126 |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Central Illinois Air Corp |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 480 Airport Rd |
| Aircraft Owner City | Mattoon |
| Aircraft Owner State | IL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 62938-9228 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Central Illinois Air Corp |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 480 Airport Rd |
| Operator City | Mattoon |
| Operator State | IL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 62938-9228 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Business |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | SNL |
| Departure City | Shawnee |
| Departure State | OK |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1420 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | UNO |
| Destination City | West Plains |
| Destination State | MO |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 27 2010 8:58AM |
| User who most recently changed record | broda |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |